Kingdom Hearts: Fallout
by Katrover Swatroad
Summary: Just because Organization XIII fell doesn't mean there's no fallout. Now, Sora must face its revenge-fueled allies ... and his own guilt? Who knew Dark City was populated? Occurs after KH2. Note: this fanfic was started before 358/2 Days.
1. Chapter 1

_Sora was dreaming._

_His dreams were pretty normal, for once. There were no more mysterious calls of destiny or stained glass platforms, a welcome change. For the most part, his dreams were harmless nonsense formed from random worries of yesterday and whatever his subconscious could throw at him. _

_Eventually his dreams condensed into something plausible and Sora found himself playing basketball - or was it volleyball? - with his friends. On his team were Kairi and Riku, as well as Donald and Goofy. Donald and Goofy! How he missed them! Too bad they had to go back to Disney Castle so soon. _

_The opposing team consisted of the kids from Twilight Town: Hayner, Olette, Pence, Vivi, and... Seifer? Yes, Seifer. Sure enough, Rai and Fuu cheered from the sidelines. _

"_He's gonna beat you all, y'know?" _

"_Slam dunk." _

_Well, dreams weren't supposed to make sense anyway._

_A particularly strong serve from Kairi sent the ball flying out of the court. They saw it bounce once, twice on the pavement beyond the benches and roll away like a super fast bowling ball. Against all logic - except dream logic - it rolled up, beyond the Sandlot, into the Market Square. Only now did Sora recognize the beige buildings, the orange skies. They were in Twilight Town. "I'll get it!" he called, and off he went._

_How on earth could a basketball (volleyball?) roll so fast? And how on earth was he able to navigate the streets so swiftly? It was as though he was born and raised in Twilight Town - but he wasn't. Sora had only visited that pleasant place three times. Or was it four? _

_Then again, dreams weren't supposed to make sense._

_The ball came to a stop. Sora froze when he saw where - the feet of a man. _

_He had his back to the boy. He stood straight and statue-still. He was tall and rail-thin, and his hair was bluish-gray ... or was it grayish-blue? His one striking feature was his clothing, a plain white business suit. _

_Emblazoned on the back was the Organization XIII symbol. _

_The man turned around and bowed most deeply. "I have come for you, my liege," he said. _

**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP! **

"Wake up! It's 7:00 AM!" an alarm clock next to his right ear screamed, but in its language of beeps. The fifteen year old boy shut it up with a slap of his hand. It was a bright and beautiful morning; exposed to the warmth of the sun outside, his dream lost much of its power, and he could comb it over with a rational mind.

Of course he dreamed about Twilight Town; just yesterday he was talking with Riku and Kairi about visiting Twilight Town (and Disney Castle) again, if it were possible. Of course he knew Twilight Town's streets inside and out; they were laid out so that even newcomers could navigate it. He had explored the place most thoroughly in his few visits. Of course he dreamed about playing ball; yesterday he thought about trying out for the boy's basketball team at school; also, Kairi told him that she was thinking about trying out for the girl's volleyball team.

And of course he dreamed about a mysterious man wearing the Organization XIII symbol, because ... because ... fine, so he couldn't answer that! So what? The Organization was dead and gone forevermore. He himself saw to that.

Now more important things beckoned, like breakfast and school. As morning wore on, Sora forgot more and more of his dream until it departed his brain completely.

* * *

"Ready for school?" his best friend asked. They had five minutes until the bell rang.

"No."

Riku laughed. "Me neither. Catching up is going to be insane."

Uncharacteristically, Sora was looking forward to school. Even adventures on foreign worlds and battles with Heartless and Nobodies got tedious after a while. Destiny High was going to be a fresh start, a change of pace, a return to normalcy. Sora felt like the luckiest person in the world; he wasn't even a year behind.

"How come," asked Riku (who wasn't so lucky), "you weren't held back a grade?" He tried to sound hurt but came off as humorous. "You spent most of last year sleeping! In a pod! At least I was conscious."

"I dunno. It just happened. When I came back to re-enroll, I took some placement tests and knew stuff I never learned," admitted Sora.

"Lucky lucky," Riku said in jest. He knew who gave Sora that good luck. God bless the late philosopher-king; Ansem the Wise, when he hastened the restoration of Sora's memories, aided him in an unexpected way. Subconsciously, Sora still had memories of Roxas within him - the Twilight Town version of Roxas, of course. Those memories not only included six fateful days of summer vacation, but the school year before that - the school year Sora himself missed. No such false memory provided a substitute year for Riku.

"Where's Kairi?" Sora wondered. It was four minutes until the bell.

Riku could provide no help. "Listen, I have to go to my own homeroom now. See you at lunch," he reminded as he left; the sixteen year old was to attend a different class, a different grade. Sora would have to search for Kairi on his own.

_He's lucky too_, Sora thought as he watched his best friend go. _He got back to Destiny Islands too_. At least he knew where Riku was; now where was Kairi? He scanned the hallway until he spotted his female friend. The girl was smiling, her uniform very becoming of her, her red hair held back in a short ponytail. She had some papers in her hands, and her book bag was open. She was chatting with someone.

Sora froze when he saw that someone.

He had blue hair cut in a style similar to what Kairi used to sport. Unlike everyone else, he wore the long-sleeved uniform. Why was Sora reminded of this morning, and why was Kairi chatting with him so closely? "So … you've never been to class before?" Kairi was asking.

"No, this is completely new to me," the boy replied. "Getting up early was a pain!"

"You'll get used to it." Kairi smiled. "Not ever? Not even art classes?"

"No, Dad taught me everything I know. I told you all about him, remember?" the other guy also smiled. "He once won an award for something he did for the -"

"Hey Kairi!" Sora butted in. Sure it was rude, but it was Kairi and she was fine with his antics. He scanned the new guy. "Um … do I know you?"

Kairi laughed, "Hey, Sora! Of course I know you, silly! From down the street!" She nodded to the new guy. "Oh … Sora, this is Rufaus. He just moved here." She gestured to Sora. "Rufaus, this is Sora. He, um …" She searched for an alibi. "He just came back from a long trip."

"Hi. Rufaus, right?" Sora offered a friendly hand. _Time to make a good first impression!_ "Welcome to Destiny Islands! So … how long have you been here?"

"A few months. Pleased to meet you," replied the new guy, accepting his hand. Unlike Sora, his manner was reserved. "You … you must be friends with Kairi."

Sora nodded vigorously. _Anyone who's friends with Kairi is friends with me_, Sora told himself. Thus he put strength into his handshake, and vigor into his grin. The new guy nodded, or rather, began to nod, but yelped. "Sorry … don't know my own strength," apologized the brunet, who had adventures to thank for his improved grip. _I didn't grip that hard, did I? _"Have I seen you around?" he added.

"No. In fact, I ... hmm. I see." The new guy nervously looked at Kairi. "Kairi, how come you never mentioned him before? If he's your friend…"

"I know," the redheaded girl apologized to both Sora and him. "You see, I … had a lot of things on my mind at the time. Honest."

"That's fine. I know the feeling." The new guy paused then added, "Come to think of it, you were somewhat out of it right before break. You know, right up to your trip."

_Her trip to Twilight Town_, Sora thought.

"That's right. It was out of the blue, wasn't it? I decided to just go and forgot to tell everyone," Kairi meanwhile quipped.

"Yeah, I remember calling your house. No one knew where you went! Where did you go?"

"Se … several places. I had fun. Didn't we, Sora?" She went silent. Whoops. Stupid slip of the tongue! She might as well mention Nobodies.

The new guy titled his head and lowered his voice. "So … you were with Sora?"

"Kinda. Not the whole trip," she said quickly, looking uncomfortable. Of course she would! Other worlds weren't common knowledge and were supposed to be a secret. How would the common person react to the concept of gummi blocks? _We must protect the world border_, thought Sora.

"How long?" inquired the new guy.

"We knew each other since we were six! Oh, you mean the trip. Um … towards the end."

"Where?"

"We ran into each other at the very end," Sora butted in again. Rude, but he didn't care, since the bell was going to ring any minute. Besides, Kairi looking uncomfortable was making him uncomfortable. "Anyway … what about you? What did you do during break?"

"… not much." _He sure clammed up quick_, thought Sora.

"Really?" asked Kairi.

"Nothing at all, I assure you." The new guy relaxed. "I stayed home. Where was your trip to, anyway?"

Kairi and Sora looked at each other. What to tell? Suddenly the bell rang. Kairi glanced at the classroom door. "Rufaus," she called. "Let's … we can talk more after class, okay? Or lunch!"

"Sure, lunch. Nice meeting you, Sora," the new guy said and left. Sora looked on in wonder. _He just popped up outta nowhere. And he needs to be more forward Then again, he wasn't like that last time … wait, what last time? We never met before._

"Saved by the bell!" Sora sighed. "That was a close call! We nearly spilled the beans! Who is this guy, Kairi?"

"Huh?"

"That guy, Rufaus … who is he?"

"He's my friend." Kairi gathered up her papers and book bag. "He moved here while you and Riku were gone. He's not that shy once you get to know him, really."

"A friend?"

"You know Riku and you aren't my only friends!" Kairi chided. "What about Selphie?"

"I know. It's just … hey, does he look like someone we've met?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Oh." _So much for that. So much for first impressions, it was kinda cut short_. Who was this guy, really? Why did he invoke thoughts of strange nothing?

* * *

"Uh, hello. My name's Rufaus .. uh, full name's Rufaus J. Reddison, and obviously ... I'm new here. Yeah," Rufaus stammered. Ms. Trepe had insisted that he introduce himself to his new classmates before class began, so there he stood in the front of the classroom. What there a way out of this maddening stage fright?

"Hi, Rufaus!" piped up Sora from his seat. In the next seat, Kairi smiled.

Encouraged, Rufaus began his impromptu speech. "I moved here from Kismet a few months ago with my uncle Thaddeus," he began. "Kismet's a big city, so I'm still getting used to this place. We live in an apartment on the other side of town. It's a nice place, small and neat. Pretty far, though. I have to take the bus, but I don't mind." He paused, wondering what to put in next. "Truth is, this is the first school I've attended, ever. I used to be home-schooled … until last year." He would have continued; it was his uncle - his new legal guardian - who insisted he attend school instead of continuing his education on his own. He decided not to mention that fact.

The blue-haired guy looked nervous, and the brunet inwardly winced in sympathy; he remembered battling stage fright while performing in Atlantica. _Tell us more about yourself_, Sora inwardly commanded.

"I … I can't think of anything else relevant right now," Rufaus finished, unfortunately. "I guess that's it. Be seeing you."

_Don't be shy, you have to make a good first impression in class_, thought Sora. Meanwhile, was there a way for Sora to help him with it? _Any friend of Kairi is a friend of mine. _Sora thought back to when Kairi introduced herself in front of everyone in Kindergarten; she had no stage fright at all. The new redheaded girl cheerfully sprouted her name, age, likes, dislikes, and favorite colors, places, people without hesitation. "I like the mayor, and I like Sora because he found me on the beach!" she had quipped at the end. Sora smiled at the memory.

Now he knew how he could help the new guy. "Question!" he called raised up his hand. "What do you like?"

"What?" The new guy was taken back. "You mean … hobbies?" Interest after interest came and went in his brain, but refused to come out of his mouth: cooking, baking, science, abstract art, science fiction, mystery fiction, nonfiction, et cetera. Why couldn't he speak? "Uh ... writing and drawing," he managed to state after some effort. _No I don't_, he thought in panic.

"Okay, we know what you like, but what do you _not_ like?" insisted Sora.

"Hot tropical climates," answered Rufaus with utmost seriousness, sweltering in his non-summer clothes. At this, the class laughed in good humor. "Is that it?"

"What do you think of Destiny Islands?"

Now that was a worthy question; what did Rufaus think of his current home? He hated it initally; it was small, it was humid, it was his uncle who wanted to move here; they had no real reason to leave Kismet. "I don't know it enough to have an informed opinion," Rufaus said. The class laughed again.

"Favorite foods?" Nearby, Kairi looked at Sora. This was weird, even for him.

Rufaus inwardly gulped. He had several, but he forgot which ones. "Anything I cook myself," he chose finally.

"Least favorite food?" Nearby, Kairi wondered, _why the questions?_

"Hamburgers." Because his uncle loved them with a slobbering passion.

"Favorite drink?"

"Milk."

"Least favorite drink?"

"I ... I really don't know."

"Cool…" Sora wondered how make questions it would take to relax the new guy. Rufaus should have gotten friendly and comfortable by now. But he still looked tense. _I know, I haven't asked him anything personal or interesting yet._ "Um … you said you live with your uncle. What about your parents?"

Rufaus blanched. A veil of horror came down on his black eyes.

Sora blinked. Did he say something wrong? "What happened to your parents?" Sora asked. "Since you live with your uncle -"

"Excuse me?" It was Kairi, who had raised your hand. "Ms. Trepe? I think …"

_Crack!_ went the last strand of tolerance in Rufaus mind. Without replying, Rufaus left (fled, really) to take his seat. He never looked at Sora. He refused to look at Sora. Instead he looked at Kairi.

"Yes, Kairi?" asked Ms. Trepe. Kairi shrugged and shook her head, her question gone. Or never having existed. In her seat, she sighed. She should have told Sora more about her friend earlier, about his parents, about their fate. Too late now. Now was time for Ms. Trepe to take charge.

"Let us go over our goals for this semester, shall we?" she suggested.

_There goes my second impression_, Sora thought, ignoring his teacher. _Most people like to talk about themselves, don't they? What's up with him? _He hit a nerve, didn't he? It if weren't for Sora's inexplicable interest in the new guy, this wouldn't have occurred …

* * *

As class continued, Sora occasionally sneaked a glance towards the back of the classroom. The new guy wasn't lying when he said he was home-schooled, but he adapted fast. At the end of class, he was answering questions and paying attention like a pro. The pro caught Sora's stare and gave him an odd look. The brunet broke his gaze in embarrassment.

Finally, when class ended, Kairi got her chance to explain. "His parents died last year," she said.

Sora was aghast. "How did they -?"

"I don't know. I never asked him."

"How come?"

"C'mon, Sora! It's common sense. He doesn't want to talk about it, I won't bug him about it, duh."

"Oh." An unrelated question popped up inside Sora. "When did you meet him?"

"Right when he moved. He came here while you and Riku were away." _During the time I forgot about you, _she wanted to add_, that's why I forgot to tell him about you. _But she knew he could puzzle it out on his own. Hopefully.

Sora had no mind for puzzles, however. Instead, he was curious about the new guy. He was sure he could place him somewhere. "You and him … you sure seem to know him a lot -"

"We just met. It's nothing," Rufaus spoke for Kairi.

The new guy had arrived (snuck up?) behind them while they were talking. His face appeared neutral. Was he waiting from an apology from Sora? _Huh, he has black eyes, like Yuffie._ Maybe that was why he reminded Sora of someone - of Yuffie?

"I saw him at the moving van, and I decided to help him out," elaborated Kairi.

"She gave me a tour of the whole island, just like that," smiled Rufaus. "She was a wonderful guide."

"He insisted," joked Kairi, "even though I told him he didn't need a tour."

"She's right. Destiny Island is a small place. Everyone finds their way around the island sooner or later," interjected Sora. "You never needed a tour. Anyway…"

"Mm?" Rufaus had his full attention on Sora now.

The brunet scanned his mind, picking each word carefully. _He wants an apology, I better give it. _"Listen, about my bunch of questions earlier. I didn't mean to … freak you out." He waited for Rufaus to accept it.

One long pause later, Kairi added, "He means he's sorry."

The new guy said, "No, you didn't freak me out, I fell to stage fright."

Kairi giggled with mirthful violet eyes. "You can talk about foreign authors for hours, but you can't talk about yourself for five minutes?"

"Not in front of people! In front of you, sure. You're such a nice person."

"Not I'm not." Kairi gathered up her papers. "Just ask my parents!"

"Anyway," Sora interrupted again, "Shouldn't we head to next period or something?" Now it was he who felt uncomfortable.

* * *

Inside Sora was a cherished illusion. It was an image of Kairi on the beach, day after day, waiting for her two friends to return. She would have waited forever; she remembered his promise to her, and it was up to him to keep it. This image spurred him on during the early days of his second adventure, until he learned about her trip to Twilight Town and subsequent capture by Axel. But an illusion, in the end, was only an illusion.

In reality, Kairi spent her days hanging out and having fun with a new guy? _Who is this guy? How come Kairi knows him so well? How come he reminds me of … someone I don't know?_

"So, Kairi made friends with this new guy why we were gone?" asked Riku.

It was lunchtime. Sora had bought lunchboxes; Riku resigned himself to the short line for meat loaf; Kairi was still in line for pizza. "Yep. He's okay," said the brunet. "Kinda nerdy, it's just that…" He wondered if his friend would understand. Here goes: "He reminds me of someone, but I can't remember who!"

"Someone…? Who?"

"That's the thing, I don't even know. Freaky, huh?" It felt even freakier than becoming the Keyblade Master or visiting strange worlds.

"You said he has short hair, right? He reminds you of Kairi one year ago, because his hair is the same as hers one year ago." Riku nonchalantly dug into his meat loaf. "Simple as that."

Sora wrinkled his nose at his peanut butter sandwich. "Um, blue isn't red! Maybe that's it. Blue hair. Have I seen someone with blue hair before?"

"What?" Now that piqued Riku's interest. "What's wrong with blue hair?" He himself got looks from tourists several times, thanks to his rare silver hair.

"It's pretty weird," Sora admitted. "To see someone who reminds me of someone I don't even remember." That must be what was making him uncomfortable. Maybe he came a picture of someone in the news and forgot. Maybe he dreamed it up?

"Don't worry about him, Sora," assured Riku. "Can't wait to meet him."

"I guess I'm down because I blew my first impression with him. In class," Sora murmured and proceeded to eat his peanut butter sandwich; he couldn't wait for Kairi any longer. "They say first impressions determine everything."

"This Rufaus … why is he so important?"

"Well, he's good friends with Kairi, right? I want him to be good friends with me too. I know!" Sora pointed up with an index finger. "Maybe I can ask him who he reminds me of!" That could fix everything! Now where was Kairi? The pizza line wasn't that long, was it?

Riku resumed working on his meat loaf. Sora waited for Kairi and wondered about Rufaus, how to ask, and how to do a better second impression. Bad first impressions never stopped a Keyblade hero from doing that he must, such as gaining the friendship of the new guy. For what reason? Lack of reason never stopped a Keyblade hero from sallying forth. The Keyblade hero needed a plan, though …

The idea of a one-on-one talk came to Sora, but didn't appeal to him.

When Kairi finally arrived, Rufaus was following her, of course. Where else was the new guy going to sit? Ignoring the brunet, he went straight for the silver-haired teen. "Riku, right? Kairi told me about you," he said, nodding his head. "You were missing for a whole year."

"That's right," answered the silver-haired teen. "Lost at sea."

"Kairi mentioned you once. But she never mentioned Sora," Rufaus noted. Meanwhile, Sora noted that the new guy was ignoring him. On purpose? On principle? Boy, did that made him uncomfortable. Well, let the new guy make small talk. Sora He cleared his throat. No go.

"Is it true," asked Rufaus, "that you tried to make a raft to sail to other lands?"

"Sort of. Not exactly other lands, but … you get the idea." Riku looked at Kairi. "So, Kairi told you about the raft, huh?"

"No, she only mentioned it in passing, in fact. Exactly what was your plan?"

"What plan?" Riku shrugged. "We … we planned to just sail out and see what land masses we hit. If nothing, we were to sail back. What could happen?"

"Storms and tides. But never mind. Kairi mentioned nothing about a raft at first."

"I was too busy guiding you around downtown," Kairi told him. "I decided to visit the new mall downtown the same day he was moving into his apartment. Neat, huh Riku?"

"Lucky, you mean," said Rufaus. He did not go into further details. _Whoo, she's a beaut, ain't she Rufaus? _his uncle had said._ I wish my first crush was a cute redhead! Lucky boy! Date her already!_

"Yeah, if you really were lucky, you would have met Riku and Wakka. They would have lifted your uncle's stuff." Kairi rolled her eyes. "He had me help him move all his stuff. I mean all of it."

"Sorry about my uncle," Rufaus sighed.

_Maybe I saw his uncle some time before_, mused Sora, _and he looks like Rufaus. And I forgot all about him. _"Aren't you going to say hi to me too?" he interjected.

The new guy turned and started to say something else, but finally said, "Hi, Sora."

"That's more like it. Hey, does your uncle Thaddeus look like you?"

"Oh, no!" Rufaus grimaced. "Dead god, no! What made you think that?"

Sora was taken aback by his outburst. Didn't Kairi mention something about his family and parents being a touchy topic? "Well …" he stalled, "he's your uncle, and … I thought about family resemblance, so -"

"Ugh, just no." Rufaus firmly shook his head. "I am nothing like my uncle, or my grandmother or other uncle. Or any of my relatives. Except my parents."

"Oh." So much for that. _Man, that went weird._ "Then … what did your parents look like?" Suddenly he felt pressure on his left arm. Kairi was grabbing it, warning him. _Touchy subject_, her hand warned.

_He's hiding something_, suggested Riku's upraised eyebrow.

_Please drop the the subject_, said Rufaus' black eyes.

Sora had a sudden image of him dressed in white. The image vanished, replaced by a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. I guess your uncle didn't get along with your folks, huh?" Whoops. Did he say _didn't_? Didn't Kairi say something about dead parents being a touchy subject?

Now he felt really uncomfortable. At least he wasn't the only one, if Rufaus was of any indication. Even Kairi looked mildly worried. Riku came to everyone rescue by announcing, "We're wasting time not eating."

Guess what they spent the rest of lunch hour doing? Not talking.

* * *

Because Rufaus took the bus downtown after school, Sora had no opportunity for a third impression. "I'm sorry, Kairi! I forgot about his parents during lunch. And … I had a couple of things on my mind all day," apologized Sora. "I blew it, didn't I?"

The trio were walking home from school. "It's not your fault," said Kairi. "Rufaus' just shy in public, that's all. He' s very open once you get to know him."

Sora nodded eagerly in response. "That's what I have to do. Get to know him."

"You just have to lay low the rest of the week," suggested Riku.

"Man, this new guy is really getting to you. What's with you, and what's so urgent about Rufaus?" pondered Riku. He hated to see Sora unhappy. It was out-of-character for Sora to be unhappy, in his opinion. Or in a coma and trapped in a crystal egg.

"It's not his fault, but he makes me feel kinda … strange, that's all. Like déjà vu. So I end up asking him really inappropriate questions. If only I know who he looks like! That would fix it."

"No," said Riku. He had his own theory. "I think it's something else."

"Maybe I can ask him to hang out with us," said Sora. "Maybe I'll finally learn who he reminds me of."

"Forget that, already," admonished Riku. Kairi just shook her head.

"No, seriously," Sora pressed on. "I'm sure I've seen him before, or someone like him. Somewhere … maybe not even on Destiny Islands. I'm thinking maybe Hollow Bastion or Twilight Town. Yeah, definitely Twilight Town. What do you think?" He looked expectantly at his two best friends. They could only return puzzled looks. "Guess not, huh?"

Riku was right. The new guy was getting to him. And it wasn't the new guy's fault, but his. What was wrong with him? Why is he so worked up about some person he barely knew? Must be from not sleeping well last night, he thought. Sure, he woke up when the alarm clock told him so, but he hadn't felt that refreshed.

"You can make it up tomorrow," suggested Kairi.

"I hope so." I really hope so, he thought. _Right now the new guy doesn't exactly like me. _For some unknown reason, that bothered him deeply. How could he get close to the new guy if they weren't not on friendly terms? The new guy reminded him of someone, and it was not Yuffie or Kairi.


	2. Chapter 2

_Sora dreamed again. He dreamed of cobblestone streets, neon coffee signs, and a clear orange sky stuck forever between day and night._

_In other words, he dreamed about Twilight Town._

_He dreamed about traversing its zigzag streets. He dreamed about looking into its stores. He dreamed about exploring its underground tunnels. He dreamed about observing its content citizens gossip about day-to-day life. He dreamed about looking over the hill in its residential district and seeing trains pass to and fro below. _

_But he was alone. _

_No one noticed him as he walked down the streets. No one noticed as he snuck into a hidden alley dubbed the "Usual Spot" by the local kids. And no one took notice as he spied on the trio of kids who hung out inside._

_It was the same trio each time: Hayner, Pence, Olette. Their outfits changed day to day. Today, Olette was showing off a new linen skirt she bought with her birthday money. Pence was wearing a barmy purple shirt bearing the face of a strange bladed female face. H E R S E R E N I T Y, it said. Hayner decided to be boring today and wore a plain pair of jeans and a plain red shirt. _

_By contrast, his outfit was forever constant: white pants and white shirt. He could not remember a time he wore anything else, not since ... ever. _

_Never did they notice him. He could only watch as the three kids chatted about preparing for school, getting part-time jobs, practicing for Struggle, and staying clear of that blonde punk Seifer and his two dimwitted goonies. Olette suggested something about getting some ice cream. They left, leaving him behind._

_It was unbearable._

_No one saw him. No one could see him. He was invisible to them. No one heard him. No one could hear him. He was mute as far was they were concerned. No one touched him. No one could touch him. He tried, but each time ... his hand would just pass through them. He was invisible and insubstantial, imaginary. _

_Was he in a town of phantoms? No, the town and its residents was real; he was the phantom. He was the one without voice. He was the one with no body._

_**Nobody ... **_

_He knew that even if he had a voice and physical form, it would not be enough. He would be missing something. Were the trio to interact with him, they would notice at once. They would react with disgust and fear. They would flee. And he would be alone again … as the natural order of things should be. _

_**Nobodies can't be somebodies. **_

_He wished he could go in, introduce himself, and make friends with them. Hayner, especially. The boy seemed the charismatic leader type, most likable. How he wished he was visible and substantial! How he wished he could be friends with them! How he wished ..._

_**But if I had a heart ... **_

_What happened to him, which forced him into this existence? Empty as it was, it was the only existence he knew._

_**Where is my heart? **_

_Suddenly, surroundings and timeframe changed. Sora was back in his fairy-given outfit. Things continued where they left off. Back where the basketball stopped ..._

"_Who are you?" Sora demanded. Instinctively he locked himself into a fighting stance, fists in front of him. He would have summoned the Keyblade right then and there, except that he didn't. Honestly, it never occurred to him to summon his weapon. _

_Dream logic could be notoriously weird._

_Straightening up from his bow, the man regarded him with polite puzzlement, his mouth one flat unsmiling line. "Do you not recognize me, sire?" he inquired. Sora shook his head. His eyes quietly moved from the man to the ball. The basketball was safe for the time being. It was he himself he had to watch out for._

_The man dropped his shoulders. His eyes met Sora's for a second; cat-green regarded sky-blue with an air of detached disappointment. Sighing, he took out a 3x5 card from inside his coat and read aloud: " 'If the subject fails to respond, use aggression to liberate his true disposition.' All right then." _

_He put the card back inside his coat, and took out a pistol. Sora jumped back a step. Where had he heard this before? And was that a __**gun?**_

Suddenly, surroundings and timeframe changed again. The brilliant orange of twilight became the blue-gray of night. It was 4 AM and still dark outside. Sora found himself sprawled in bed. He was covered in sweat and not in his blanket; it lay discarded on the floor. Was his sweat from fear or the heat from outside?

He opened the window and breathed in the fresh tropical air. _Just a nightmare_, he told himself. It had neither stained-glass windows nor gothic Italian music. It meant nothing. Go back to sleep. So he did ... hopefully, he did. When he got out of bed at 7:00 AM, he did not remember his dream. Much.

* * *

"Hi, Rufus!" _Did I just mispronounce the guy's name? Darn. _"I mean, Rufaus." It was early lunch hour, and Kairi and Riku were still in line for pizza. It was Sora's chance to make up for yesterday.

"Don't worry about it, people mispronounce it all the time." Rufaus gave Sora an odd look nonetheless. "What do you want?"

"Not much. Just wanna hang out," humbly said the brunet. "I mean, you hang out with Kairi, and I hang with Kairi … so we'll be hanging out together anyway, right?"

"If you say so." Accepting the invitation, Rufaus opened his lunchbox.

Sora looked at his lunch and blue eyes instantly turned into greedy white saucers with blue dots in the middle. _He wasn't kidding when he said his favorite foods were those he cooked himsel_f, Sora realized. _That baked chicken thigh looks good!_ "Wow. Did you cook it yourself?"

"Yeah?"

"Want to trade?"

"No," Rufaus jested and pointed at the spot next to him, inviting Sora to sit down. So much for laying low, but Sora was never one to lay low. Now, he had all lunch hour to undo his questions of yesterday. Biting into his meat loaf-like substance, Sora asked, "Hey! Want to hang out after school too? We can go to this island near my house … you'll love it!"

Rufaus gave him an odd look. "Whatever happened to homework and studying?"

"Studying?" _Doesn't he want to go to the play island?_

"When you studying during afternoon, you have the whole night free." Rufaus gave Sora another odd look. "Or are you a cram-at-the-last-minute type of person?"

That was a strange question. Also eerily true. "Okay … what about Saturday?"

"Saturday is good," Rufaus agreed. "Actually, I had something else planned, but yeah, I can fit in both. Hang out, hmm…" He was silent.

"What is it?"

The new guy took a breath, letting out his anxiety. Then he spoke, "Yesterday was weird, wasn't it? You arrived out of nowhere and asked me questions about private matters. it was out of the blue."

"Yeah, it was," agreed Sora. _You arrived out of nowhere too._ "I'm really sorry, I'm really not like that, it's just -"

"No. Let me explain." Rufaus' tone turned formal and factual. "See, we moved to Destiny Islands because my parents died and my uncle is a big fat dork."

"Excuse me?"

"Wow ... it felt good to call my uncle a fat dork," Rufaus marveled.

"Um ... so, how fat is he?"

"Obese. He never learned to cook, so he lived on fast food for twenty years. Twenty years! Until last year, of course." Rufaus paused in mid-bite. "I'm the one who should be sorry, not you. You have an excuse, I don't."

"Huh?"

"You didn't know my parents died, that's your excuse." Rufaus stabbed a leg with a fork, his eyes never wavering from his meal. "It's a really touchy subject for me, mom and dad ... we never discovered how they died."

Now that was an interesting tidbit. "What?"

Sora listened as Rufaus began his story in earnest: "It was more than a year ago. One night they were there, the next morning they weren't, just like that. My uncle woke me up, yelling nonsense. In person! I was so freaked out ... I never met my uncle before, I thought it was a stranger. A fat stranger. Why am I telling you all this?" The blue-haired boy shot the brunet a suspicious look.

Sora shot back a look of total and utter innocence. "Because I'm so honest?"

"Honest? More like gullible. Do people open up to you all the time?"

"Now that I think about it ... you're right, they do." Rufaus' joke was lost on him, so he took the comment seriously. Mulan, Ariel, Belle ... they all opened up around him and told him their life stories pretty quickly. "So ... you never met your uncle before?" Sora asked incredulously.

Sad again, Rufaus shook his head no. "My father and his family had ... a falling out when he was young. He and his family were cordial, but not close. That happens sometimes."

Evidently he didn't get along with his uncle, his current legal guardian. Sora struggled with the concept of hostile family relations as Rufaus continued his story. "The police had barred the master bedroom. There were no bodies, no signs of struggle, nothing. No clues. All I remembered was this awful smell. And the room was so cold ... so strangely cold," Rufaus said as he wrinkled his nose at the memory. "Claw marks," he said suddenly. Sora looked up with interest.

"Claw marks? You mean from the bedroom?"

"No - well, maybe. I _thought _I saw claw marks on the bed, but everyone else said I was seeing things. I was so sure ... I always wonder what would have happened if I insisted on seeing claw marks. Maybe those marks would have given the case a vital lead." Rufaus looked at his fork stuffed full of chicken as his tale came to an end.

"That's awful," agreed Sora. It was one thing to have loved ones die, another to not know how they died. No leads meant no closed case.

"So, my uncle took me in," finished Rufaus. "Then we moved to Destiny Islands. Out of the blue, just like that. Uncle Thaddeus said it high time we get far away from Kismet and start over here. Why here? Why did I have to break my promise?"

"What's wrong with here - wait, you _broke_ a promise?" cried Sora, proud and true believer in promises.

"Now I don't even believe in promises …"

"You BROKE a PROMISE?"

"You try keeping an impossible promise!" Rufaus suddenly snapped. Then he took in a breath. "You have a point. See, when my parents vanished - back then, I didn't think that they died, they just vanished somewhere - I promised them - or rather, myself – two things. That I would live my life the way they wanted it, and that I would see their case solved, no matter what. Even if my uncle thinks different. Even if no clues and no leads means different."

"You broke a promise?" wondered Sora, who judged people on their willingness to keep promises.

"I read up on everything remotely related. I went to the police station, so they wouldn't forget. Every day!" responded Rufaus, his voice hurried. "When the police wanted to shelve the case, I … I did everything I could to keep it open. I got into a lot of trouble with my uncle – no, my grandmother - for that. And when they finally did shelve the case, my uncle … he right then and there decided ... to leave Kismet."

"To move here?" Was his uncle upset with him? Because his nephew loved his parents very much? Was that why they moved?

Rufaus confirmed his suspicions by nodding. "Yeah. My uncle had a long talk with me. A _long_ talk. He said I had to move on with my life and he was going to make me move on whether I wanted to or not. He said it was for my own good. He said what I consciously wanted as not what I _really_ wanted, whatever the hell that means." his words got faster and faster as he recalled his anger. "My father and his family didn't get along, remember? Frankly, I think they don't care that he's dead. I'm shocked my uncles and grandmother didn't just dump me in an orphanage." He huffed. Sora winced at the hatred.

"What about your mother's relatives?" Sora asked. "How come they didn't take you in?"

Rufaus paused before answering, "My mother had no relatives. No grandparents, no aunts or uncles, nothing." He sighed. "So I gave up on my promises. How can I home-school myself if I'm here? And it's been a year."

"Don't give up, Rufus!" Sora insisted. _Dang, did I mispronounce the guy's name again. _"You promised your parents! So it's been a year, so what?" _It took me a year to get back here! _"Maybe it'll take two years for you to -"

"Sora." Rufaus sounded tired. "Most cases not solved in a certain time period are never solved. Ever. The police told me that. Can you argue with experts? As much as I hate my uncle for saying it, he's right. I have to move on with my life."

"Well, I think it was bad of you not to keep your promises," said Sora, who had strong faith in the power of promises. "Even if it was hard to keep."

"You mean, it was bad of me to make promises I couldn't keep," said Rufaus, who knew better. "Look before you leap."

"Rufas ... Rufaus, how could you? It was a _promise_. Promises are special," the brunet insisted, almost begged. "You know your uncle's wrong. That's why you hate him and called him a fat dork."

Rufaus weathered his accusation by ignoring him. "I can't believe I just told my life story to a stranger," he muttered at his lunch.

"What else don't you believe in?"

Rufaus looked at his new friend in amazement. "Everything you believe in, it seems. Kairi finally told me about you last night."

Ignoring that last sentence, the brunet accused, "So you don't believe in promises?"

"I'd love to. But let's be realistic here, shall we?" Rufaus looked into the distance; where was Kairi? "We can do our best in life, like my father used to say, but we can't expect life to do the best for us. I mean, you can't believe in kiddish stuff and fairy tales forever."

Sora, taken aback, could only gasp, "Kiddish stuff? What's wrong with fairy tales?" Promises weren't kiddish stuff; they were the stuff of life and heart! Fairy tales weren't false, what about the like the one by Kairi's grandmother? "Something tells me it's going to be tough for us to get along," Sora pondered out loud.

"Finally, something we agree on. I hope Kairi understands." Rufaus let slip his last sentence. Sora noticed.

Lunch hour continued, but Kairi still had not came (She was at volleyball tryouts.). Seagulls flew overheard like vultures. The two boys ate in silence for a while, side by side. _Poor Rufaus_, thought Sora, _he's even making me feel bad about life._ Was this incident with his parents the reason why he doesn't believe in promises? Or life turning out well in the end?

"Let's talk about something else," Sora finally spoke up. "Do you still want to hang out at my place on Saturday? How about Kairi's?"

"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" Rufaus mused as he dug into his chicken. "You're as curious as a hybrid between a puppy and a reporter for one of those pop-culture magazines my uncle reads."

"Don't worry, I don't bite," teased Sora. "I don't gossip, either." A cheerful voice hid a concerned soul. _Rufaus doesn't know what killed his parents_, Sora thought, _but I do_. He had a cold inkling in his gut ever since Rufaus mentioned _stench, cold,_ and _claw marks. _


	3. Chapter 3

_The instant Sora fell asleep, he mystically traveled across time and space to Twilight Town. In front of a man with green eyes and blue-gray hair and a gun. __**A gun! **_

_**Don't panic**__, thought Sora. **You've gone up against gun-wielding bad guys before, nothing to worry about. Don't panic! Remember Clayton and his musket. Pirates at Port Royale (do crossbows count as firearms)? Xigbar and his Sniper Nobodies. Who else - ACK! **__The man was firing! Duck! DUCK! __Sora executed a dodge roll. _

_The shot missed. Sora breathed out in relief as he got up. "That was just a warning shot," mocked the man. _

"_How do I know that was a warning shot?" frowned Sora, his voice surly with teenaged sullenness. _

"_Had it not been a warning shot, you would have been hit. In a vital area. Allow me to demonstrate." The man fired again._

_Instinctively Sora dodged rolled three times in a roll. When he got up, he checked himself. No wounds, no worries. He got up to smirk at his assailant ... only to notice a deflated orange ball at his feet. _

"_That, too, was a warning shot," retorted the man._

_Frustration filled Sora at the sight of the poor deflated basketball. That ball belonged to Hayner! It was the only basketball they have! How in the world are they going to continue their game now? Amazing that Sora was worried more about a ball than himself. _

_Dream logic could be notoriously weird. _

"_Stop fooling around! How do I know you're just not a bad shot?" accused the teen. His taunt seemed to have some effect, as the older man tensed up at once. _

"_Fine," the man snarled, and fired. This time the shot was for real._

_His dreams went fuzzy after that. Sora remembered limping away from the man like a wounded hind. His hunter did not follow … was he ever there? Somehow he found himself trudging back to the Shopping District. His sense of direction had left him and the streets turned foreign in an instant. Tripping on a cobblestone, he fell._

_Smooth stones danced in front of his face. Orange and white spun the sky. Beige walls loomed like giant guardians high above. But he wasn't in the mood for poetic descriptions, so he got up at once. No one bothered to help him up. Dazed, he traveled down the streets. Time crawled in slow motion, or backwards ... let's just say he lost track of time. He could not remember where he was injured... wait, was he ever injured? His chest hurt, but not from any injury. _

_Back to the Usual Spot. Ever since he could remember, he found himself returning to that place over and over again. _

_Today Olette wore a simple white tank top and grey pants with white trimming. Pence wore a t-shirt featuring an elaborate illusion of a winged blue dragon and a yellow-skinned wizard with white hair. Hayner wore a grey shirt and khaki pants. They were arguing about who took their basketball. Was it Seifer? Vivi, trying to please Seifer?_

_He sat down next to Olette and watched them bicker. He wished to put in his two munny, but it would be no use - they would be listening to nobody. Pence suggested they go visit the Accessory Shop - maybe the shopkeeper had some clues - and off they went. He stayed behind. Alone, rejected by the realm of the living. Alone, rejected by the realm of light._

_**You reside in darkness.**_

"_There you are."_

_He nearly jumped off the couch in surprise. What was that? Who are that!? The man with the gun? No, someone else, with a deeper and different voice. Whoever he was, he was addressing him. Him! But no one ever spoke to him! Unless ..._

"_I've been searching for you for a long time."_

_In stark contrast to his snow-white outfit, the speaker was covered head to foot in jet-black. A black raincoat, to be exact. His face was unseen, covered by the raincoat's hood. He hovered near the entrance to the Usual Spot like a spirit of death ... no, a spirit of nonexistence._

_**A spirit that goes on even as its body fades from existence... **_

_Slowly but surely the spirit hovered to his side. "Get up," he ordered. Obediently, the boy began to get up from the couch ... only to discover he wasn't sitting on a couch. He was lying on it. No wait … it was a bed: his own bed, in his own bedroom at Destiny Islands. I_n other words, Sora woke up.

* * *

"Hey, Riku ..."

"Yeah?"

"When Destiny Islands was restored ... was _everyone_ in Destiny Islands was restored?"

Riku suppressed a chuckle. "What kind of question is that? What do you think?" He waved at a passing Tidus and Wakka on their way to a blitzball game.

"Yes?"

"Then ... yes," Riku shrugged as he hefted his school bag from one hand to the other hand. "Otherwise, we wouldn't see Tidus and Wakka just now. But we did."

"Something on your mind, Sora?" asked Kairi nearby.

The three teenagers were walking home from school, as usual. It was their weekday ritual, a daily opportunity to strengthen their friendship. It was a chance for them to discuss matters that only the three of them could share, matters privy and sacred to them three, such as Heartless, Keyblades, and Disney Castle.

"Just thinking about the Heartless and the Keyblade," admitted Sora. "I am the Keyblade Master, after all." He tried to sound heroic, but fell flat. "It's just that ... I wonder if I did well. At being the Keyblade Master, I mean."

Riku and Kairi looked at the brunet in bewilderment. What kind of question was that? Of course he did well! Beyond well! The best! With the Keyblade, he became a hero and saved princesses and people from evil. He accomplished what previous wielders couldn't: defeat the Heartless at its source, Xemnas. "Sora, you saved the worlds from Darkness and saved everyone from the Heartless," assured Kairi.

"No. Not everyone," said Sora softly. He looked at his two friends evenly with blue eyes. "Rufaus' parents. I know how they died."

"The new guy?" asked Riku. What was up with Sora and him? Or more specifically: "His parents?

"You know? He told you?" asked, or rather, exclaimed Kairi.

"Yeah. Kinda." Sora took a breath and related his ponderings about stench and claw marks. "Yesterday at lunch, Rufaus told me how his parents died. Well, kinda. His parents were taken by Heartless, that much was obvious. He doesn't know it. But I do! I figured it out from what he told me. Thing is, for some reason ... I feel guilty for his parents being dead."

Riku found this to make very little sense. He pointed out, "The Heartless killed his parents, not you. You shouldn't feel guilty at all."

Kairi saw some sense in this. She said, "You feel guilty because you weren't able to save them. But you didn't know. You couldn't, Sora! It's not your fault."

"I know but..." Sora remembered the new guy's quiet voice from their conversation. Rufaus sure was somber when he related his parents' death. Tears were used up long ago, and so somberness was left. _If my parents died and I didn't know how, and I had to move far way_, Sora thought, _I'd be touchy about my parents too. I wouldn't stop believing, though. _"Wait!" he suddenly cried. "His parents' deaths! When was that?" He suddenly left them and sprinted back to school.

"Where are you going?" Riku cried. He hoped his question reached Sora before the brunet was too far off as to possibly be out of hearing range.

"Back to school! I gotta research at the library!" came the far-off reply.

"Sora? Doing research? Sora, in a library of his own will?" pondered an incredulous Riku. "This I have to see!"

"What day?" wondered Kairi. The significance of such a date suddenly came to her. "Riku, I think I know when Rufaus' parents died!"

But Riku had already gone after Sora. Kairi shrugged and ran back to school. To the school library, to be more specific.

The school had a microfilm database of newspapers from various cities reaching back at least a decade. Thus, with the help of a library page, it was no problem for Sora to get to the newspaper he wanted (The Kismet Caller) and the date he wanted (sometime last year). When Riku and Kairi arrived, they found him staring blank-mouthed at a projection of a newspaper article on the screen.

Rufaus' parents died on the same night that Destiny Islands was destroyed.

"I don't believe it," whispered Riku.

"In my heart, I knew it all along," murmured Kairi.

Sora said nothing. He just stared ahead, blankly. _Me too, Kairi_, he thought. _Me too. _

They recognized the date listed on the article right away. How could they forget the date? It was the date Kairi lost her heart, Riku got a taste of the Darkness, and Sora got the Keyblade. It was the date their home was destroyed. It was the night the Heartless invaded Destiny Islands. It was the night of fate.

The article in the old newspaper microfilm discussed the mysterious disappearance of a middle-aged, middle-class couple who lived in downtown Kismet. The father was a cartoonist of famous repute, and the mother was a librarian. They left behind one son, then aged fourteen. A few later articles detailed the failed efforts of the police to discover the cause, and the subsequent filing away of the case as a lost cause.

But ... that case was not the only one of its kind.

Sora's quick search had revealed something more sinister - a whole list of similar disappearances. Apparently, a whole string of similar disappearances occurred on same night – "The Night of Fate," suggested one article. Article after article bared their contents for the three shocked teens. Each case was the same: one night, the person in question was safe and sound; the next morning (or rather, the morning the world was restored and Kairi returned to Destiny Islands), he or she had vanished off the face of the earth.

Sora drew in his breath at each case. "All these people," he realized, "gone? They're still gone. Why didn't they come back?"

"How many people were gone?" began Kairi.

But Sora didn't hear, for he had began to rant. "Our parents came back! Tidus and Selphie and Wakka came back! Everyone we knew came back! Simba and Mushu came back on their worlds! Why didn't they!?" he accused. He stabbed the screen angrily.

"Sora, you're talking too loud," chided Riku.

But Sora continued his rant. "I ... I used to think that when I defeated Anse - I mean ... Xehanort's Heartless, and restored all the worlds, I thought everyone on every world would come back, each on on his or her world. Like Kairi came back on her island –" Sora suddenly gasped. "Riku, that's Luxord!"

Shaken, he pointed to one article. It concerned the disappearance of a ship captain. Riku inspected the picture of the missing navigator with doubt. "Um ... that's not Luxord. Luxord had blonde hair and a goatee. This guy had silver hair and a beard."

"Aside from that!"

Inspecting the portrait further, Riku saw the truth. "Good point. Hairstyle aside, he does look like Luxord." _Almost exactly like Luxord_, he realized, which meant ...

"And the name," realized Kairi. "Rearrange the letters and add an X." Her strange advice made for stranger results. The captain was named Rould. Guess what an x-inclusive anagram of the name made? The three teens sucked in their teeth as they read the rest of the article. Captain Rould was lost at sea. Apparently, he was making an overnight shipment during the night of fate. He and his ship were never found. Storm? Random iceberg? Pirates?

_Pirates_, thought Sora with bleak humor. _How ironic._

Rould left behind a disraught wife and mother-in-law. His friends described him as a tough but fair man who regularly braved storms and liked to play poker every once in a while. The end of the article noted a memorial would be held the following week.

Sora gasped at another article. "Kairi, it's her!" he said as he pointed at another missing person report. This one concerned the disappearance of a college student.

"Who is she?" asked Kairi.

"I … I don't know."

"How did you recognize her if you don't even know her?" Kairi asked. Then she saw the picture and recognized her too, sort of. In another life? The three scanned the rest of the report and gulped. The girl's name was Arleen. She was twenty-one, a psychology major, a sorority sister, and an avid reader of philosophical works. She up and vanished from her apartment one night, just like that. Ransom? Drunk driving? Serial rapist or killer? Cause still unknown.

But not so for Sora, who knew he killed her, although he couldn't remember when.

Arleen, according to her roommate and friends, was quick-witted but otherwise a sweet gal. Also a bit of a smart mouth.

A they scanned the articles, they saw another disturbing theme surface. Every missing person was missed by loved ones, for sure; however, every missing person was also described by loved ones as strong-willed or in similar terms. _Stout-hearted. A natural leader. The most charismatic lady you'd ever meet. Indomitable. Real stubborn but otherwise a good person. _And so on.

"I thought a person turned into a Heartless was restored when his or her world was restored ..." murmured Kairi.

On the night of fate, those not sent to in-between places like Traverse Town by dark corridors most likely had their hearts taken by Heartless. The same fate awaited the heart of the world under attack by Heartless. But the worlds had been restored by Sora. Shouldn't the hearts of a world's inhabitants come back with the hearts of a world? Shouldn't they be restored along with their world?

"Not unless they left behind a Nobody," muttered Sora.


	4. Chapter 4

_Sora no longer welcomed his dreams. For starters, were dreams supposed to pause and resume each night? Because this one did. Unfortunately for Sora, this dream currently had him on the ground, wounded. Sora groaned as acidic fire burned through his stomach. Was that where he was shot? In the stomach?_

"_I do not wish to harm you, my liege," said the man. "Please try to remember."_

"_Harm me? You tried to kill me!" snarled Sora. The teen lay sprawled on his right side, hunched over in pain. The acid in his stomach was evidence enough. There was nothing he could do - for some reason, he never thought of summoning the Keyblade and casting Curaga - except glance up at his would-be assassin._

_The man appeared to be in his mid to late thirties. His suit made no sound on his wiry frame. Blue-green eyes peered lazily from behind light gray bangs (So, his hair was actually of two colors?). Sora was reminded of an alley cat ... and he was a small brown mouse this gray-and-white alley cat just caught. "Had I tried to kill you," his assailant hissed, "you would be dead."_

"_Yeah right," Sora squeaked. "Stomach ... wound ... pretty fatal, I think." Funny that he felt more angry than frightened. Shouldn't he be afraid of death? _

_Dreams, they rarely made sense._

"_Good point." Something hard bounced off Sora and landed in front of him. An elixir! Not one to look a gift cat - er, horse in the mouth, Sora grabbed it and gulped it down greedily. Its effect was instantaneous. Fully recovered, Sora got up and noted his surroundings. They were in the Tram Common, near the crack that led to the woods and the mansion beyond. For some reason, the place was completely devoid of people. Time seemed to have stopped, as the air felt stiff and clouds weren't moving above._

"_Now do you believe me?" said the man. "That I don't wish to harm you?" For effect, he put away his gun. Next, he took the empty bottle from the teen and dumped it in a nearby waste receptacle. Finall, he took the ruined basketball off the ground and dumped that in the waste bin as well. "Let us go at once, my liege." he said as he raised a friendly hand towards Sora. "Perhaps you'll recall me on the way." _

_His voiced sounded almost kind. Almost. His simile looked almost friendly. Almost. _

_Sora wisely backed away from the beckoning hand. For a second, he thought about just fleeing the scene and returning to his friends. How was he going to explain the fate of the basketball to Hayner? No matter. He was not going to run away. Heroes do not run away from confrontations, especially not one of the Keyblade! What would Phil say? _

_The man let fall his hand, his expression also fallen. In a fallen voice he asked, "You really don't remember, do you sire?"_

"_Remember what?" _

_The man turned around and pointed at the emblem on his back. _

"_That's the symbol for Organization XIII," Sora automatically answered. Duh._

_The man spun around rapidly, his eyes bright with green victory. "So you do remember!" _

"_Remember what?" Suddenly, more important questions came: "Why do you wear the Organization symbol? And what's all this 'liege and sir' nonsense?" _

_Victory vanished from his eyes, replaced by dark disappointment. "So you don't remember. When you failed to recognize me, I guessed the worst."_

"_Sorry, but you are a stranger to me. You must be looking for someone else," Sora answered. He crossed his arms in finality as he began to stroll back to the Sandlot. He couldn't wait for this dream to end. "I'm going back to my friends. You better not follow me ... unless it's to give me a new basketball or something," he suggested. Sora tried to inject some humor into his last statement, but it fell flat, not unlike Hayner's basketball. _

"_You refuse to remember. You refuse to even try to remember," Sora heard the man mutter behind him._

_The boy turned around to look at the adult one last time. The man's face was distorted in frustration as he stared into the waste bin, his arms gripping its metal rim. He looked like an alley-cat perched on the rim of the waste bin, inspecting whatever prospective dinner lay inside as its tail twitched, in vain. Sora almost felt pity. Almost. _

_Suddenly the man's face turned into a furious snarl as he turned and pounced on the boy and roared, "How dare you! How dare you shirk your duties and forget your promises!" _

The man vanished. Twilight Town vanished. The dream vanished and Sora woke up. The tired boy moaned into his pillow. It was still dark outside. But he knew that if he slept again, the dream would resume. The dreams - the _dream_, singular - wasn't going away. What was he going to do at night?

* * *

"Looks like you didn't sleep well last night," commented Tidus nearby. 

Sora sank in his seat with embarrassment; he didn't expect his yawn to be that loud! The entire classroom must have heard him! Even Ms. Trepe was looking at him. Silence reigned now, but not a while ago. A while ago, he broke the local record for longest yawn.

"Heh heh ... sorry," Sora muttered. He wished fervently for class to be over. Heck, he wished fervently for the school day to be over. Ever since he got of bed this morning, he had this bad feeling in his brain. It was just the black backlogged feeling of sleepiness. Surely it should fade in time.

No, it was still there at noon. "Looks like you didn't sleep well last night," commented Riku next to him during lunch hour.

"And what gave you that idea?" Sora quipped. He looked as tired and dejected as the sad excuse of a veggie-steak in front of him. "The huge yawn I gave in class?"

"That, and the gray smudges under your eyes."

Sora yawned again. He blinked several times before his eyes could focus on Riku and the sweet, succulent peanut butter sandwich he held. "You going to eat that?"

"Heck, yes." To demonstrate, the silver-haired teen took a big bite out of his lunch. "Waiting in line for lunch ... it's just not worth it. Hey, stop looking at me like that." Riku nearly gagged on peanut butter, for Sora was doing his best impression of a begging puppy with his face.

"Like this?" Sora hammed it up. Riku nearly choked with laughter. Kairi laughed too, when she joined them and saw Sora's face.

"Pizza again?" Riku queried as he eyed what Kairi bought for lunch. "You keep eating pizza, you're going to get fat."

"I know, but it's the only good thing they sell at lunchtime," Kairi replied. "But you're right. I guess I should start bringing lunch as well. Sora, are you okay?"

Sora had fallen asleep on the lunch table. Veggie-loaf made for a good pillow. And so Sora enjoyed an impromptu five minute nap before wakened up by a new voice.

"Hey everyone!" It was Selphie. A cheerful, cheering, cheerfully waving Selphie came by with a tray full of pizza and something else. "Hey you three!" she called to her friends. "Do you want to see what I got for my birthday?"

"Sure!" cheered Kairi. Riku nodded. Sora vaguely heard something about birthdays.

That "something else" turned out to be a pack of tarot cards. "I got these from my aunt from abroad," Selphie explained.

"I didn't know you believe in fortune telling," teased Kairi between mouthfuls of pizza.

"I don't. But look how pretty the cards are!" the brunet girl elaborated. Indeed, the cards were magnificent, and that was all that mattered. The illustrations were of queens and kings, wands and cups, lovers and fools, and done in bold watercolor. They weren't just cards; they were miniature works of art! Everyone except Sora were wowed with amazement.

"Did you show them to Tidus and Wakka yet?"

"Where did your aunt buy them - Sora! Look at them! Just for a moment!"

Sora did. Looking at the cards, he was suddenly walloped with guilt.

_How could you ... Roxas ... _

"Uh ... I have to go," he muttered.

"What? But why?" wondered Selphie. "I was just going to explain to everyone how to play Tarocchi!"

"Exactly. I really have to go," the spiky-headed sleepyhead mumbled. Abandoning his lunch, his friends, and his backpack, Sora made an immediate beeline for the bathroom. When he looked at the cards, he didn't think of fortune telling or Tarocchi; he thought about a dead sea captain whose obituary stated that he liked to play cards. A dead sea captain reportedly lost at sea, in reality slain by him, in a sense.

* * *

"Looks like you didn't sleep well last night," commented Kairi as she stood by him. The two waited for fifth period to start. 

"Yeah ... I know ... third time someone said that," Sora yawned. "Ugh. I shouldn't have left my lunch behind. Now I'm sleepy and hungry too. I ... I had a ..." - here he yawned long and low - "hard time sleeping last night. Not the first time, either." At least he was able to catch some shut-eye during lunch. Some.

"Did you stay up late last night?" Kairi asked.

"No, that's the thing. I go to sleep early enough, and I fall sleep just fine ...but then I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. Don't know why."

"Hmm," Kairi could only agree in sympathy. Nearby, someone was playing his CD player a wee loud. It sounded more intrusive than familiar.

"Can you turn your music down?" Sora finally pleaded. "Just a little?" The guy did not notice, could not notice. So Riku came along and yanked the headphones from the offending guy.

"Hey! I was - " the guy began to protest, but Riku pointed and the guy saw the weak and tired brown-haired boy next to him. "Oh, sorry. I better stop playing," he apologized as he turned off his player. The CD case flashed in the afternoon sun as it received back its disc. Something flashed in Sora's memory. He pointed at the CD case.

"What were you playing?" he asked.

"Oh this?" The guy proudly showed up his CD case. "Merkel and Myde. This is their one and only album." Sure enough, the CD case titled "Merkel and Myde" on the front cover. Also on the CD case was a picture of a band of performing punks. Something in Sora's memory jumped but refused to clear up. He peered closely at the case. One of the punks on the cover looked kinda familiar ...

"Merkel and Myde?" he asked.

"Yeah. See, the band was named after its two lead players, Merkel and Myde Milton," the guy explained. He flipped the CD case over to show the trio the songs the band had composed and performed. "They were an up-and-coming rock band a few years back. They really could have hit it big ... but the band broke up last year. It was pretty sad. Hence why only one album."

"What happened?" Sora asked.

"Myde here, the younger brother," - now the guy pointed at one of the punks on the cover - "disappeared last year. Poof! No lead singer, no band."

Looking at the album, Sora suddenly flinched. He recognized the dude on the cover now.

_Roxas, come back to us! _

"What happened?" he asked once more.

The guy shrugged. "Don't really know. Myde just up and vanished one night. No clues, no ransom notes, nothing. Merkel was pretty devastated. And the band disbanded."

Granted, Sora had never heard a tune from Merkel and Myde in his life (nor had he heard of the group before). But now he knew why the tune from before was familiar. He had heard it once in the Underworld, while assaulted by giant music notes of water. He closed his eyes and fought the memory of some dude resembling Myde screaming as he dissolved into a puddle of water ...

_No way! _

"Sora! Is something wrong?" It was a worried Kairi. Fifth period was starting, and everyone else was filing into the classroom. The guy with the CD case had already packed his backpack and went inside. Riku had already left for his own class. Sora flashed her a shy grin as they trudged inside.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong," he lied. "Just trying to catch some shut-eye while standing up. Did it work?"

* * *

"Looks like you didn't sleep well enough last night," commented Riku as the trio walked home from school. 

"I know. Everyone I know told me that at least once. Um, almost everyone. Too sleepy to keep track to who did and who didn't," Sora mumbled. Good thing he walked between Kairi and Riku. If he should fall, they could carry him. Hopefully. "Carry me if I fall, would you?" he asked, just in case.

"Too bad tomorrow is Friday, else you could sleep in," said Riku. "Seriously, Sora. Maybe you should see a doctor on Saturday."

"Yeah, you've been getting worse all week," added Kairi. Suddenly the girl gasped and pointed straight ahead. Fortunately for them, it was a gasp of delight. Kairi was pointing at a lady and her gorgeous dog walking nearby. "Look, Sora! He's so huge!"

"It's a she," the lady demurely corrected. "Don't worry, she doesn't bite. She loves being petted."

No one, no matter what his or her age or personality (unless he or she was a rabid dog-hater or allergic to dogs) could resist such a specimen of a canine. Certainly not Kairi. She was tall; were she standing on two legs, she would have dwarfed the girl. She was beautiful, grey all over in a medium-long coat. She was friendly; she let Kairi pet her and licked her hands as the girl did so. Not once did the dog bark. "What breed of dog is she?" Kairi asked.

"Ah, poor thing, she's a mutt who I found at the Humane Society," said the lady. "Who cares, she's such a darling. Aren't you Carlotta?"

"She looks like she's part husky," observed Riku.

No one, no matter what his or her age or personality (unless he or she was a rabid dog-hater or allergic to dogs) could resist such a specimen of a canine. No one except Sora. Looking at the canine's grey muzzle and yellow eyes, he felt really uncomfortable. And guilty. For surviving a fight to the death.

_Why... Kingdom Hearts... Where is my heart?_

_The dog's a husky mix_, he told himself. _Not a wolf. Not a werewolf. Not a wolf - man. Not a man. _

"Are you all right?" the lady inquired, worried. "You look ill! Are you allergic to dog hair? I'm sorry if - "

"Aw, no ... been like this all day," Sora assured the lady. He kneeled down so he did not have look at poor innocent Carlotta. "All week, really."

* * *

"Looks like you haven't been sleeping well -" began Rufaus, but Sora stopped him with an open palm. The two were studying at Sora's house. If Sora insisted on hanging out, Rufaus decided that they might as well make something of it. As in, studying. Thus the two sat at Sora's kitchen table during late afternoon. Sora's only recompense for this "unexpected hour of torture" (as he dubbed it) was that Rufaus' copy of The Unbearable Lightness of Being made for a decent pillow. 

"Maybe we ought to cut today short," finally suggested Rufaus.

Sora nodded before falling asleep on the part where Franz decides to leave his wife and Sabina decides to leave Franz. It was all too soon that an shaking hand on his shoulder jousted him from his nap. It was a nice nap. The afternoon sun had just set, clouding his living room in soft blue and grey shadows. Rufaus was calling his name softly, then progressively louder.

"Sora! Sora! Wake up," Rufaus was saying. "Are you unconscious? I need to go home to make dinner for my uncle. And I need my copy of Kundera back. You're drooling on it. Get up, please?"

"Wha ... ?" The brown-haired boy groggily raised his head a bit to look at his blue-haired classmate. Looking at his new friend, Sora was suddenly struck by a stronger guilt than all the instances earlier that day. And a strong resemblance between Rufaus and –

_How dare you! How dare you shirk you duties and forget your promises!_

Sora stumbled backwards and nearly fell out of his chair. Fortunately he didn't. Rufaus took this opportunity to swipe back his novel. "See you at school tomorrow," the new guy called as he left.

"See you too," Sora called back as he watched Rufaus left. _It's not my fault_, he thought, _that he's stuck with his fat dorky uncle. _So why did it feel like it?


	5. Chapter 5

"_Come with me," commanded the spirit of nothingness._

_He was entranced, but also scared - or the closest intellectual equivalent thereof. So he shook his head no. The black-cloaked spirit took him anyway. Spirited him away. Took him by the arm and dragged him out of his birthplace. But the spirit promised great rewards: as soon as he gets a heart, he'll be able to make friends with those kids in Twilight Town and live in Twilight Town for real._

_Beige walls became white rooms. Eternal twilight became perpetual night. Oblivious passerby became obedient underlings. A black cloak replaced his initial white outfit. Aimless days spent wandering around Twilight Town became packed days full of missions to various worlds. It was a pretty good life, as good as life could get for someone like him. He wasn't a member of humankind, but at least he was a member of an esteemed organization. He was no longer alone. He even made a friend. He swore he would never forget his best friend's name. He got it memorized. _

_He was the organization's newest and youngest (as well as shortest) member. He held the lowest rank, but they feared him all the same. He was the organization's secret weapon, just as his best friend was its secret police. That made them an inseparable pair. _

_It was a pretty good life. Too bad it lasted less than a year. Too bad the Organization went kaput. Too bad it failed to reach its goal. Good thing he left before then. _

_He fulfilled __**his**__ duties to the utmost, of that he was sure. It was the Organization that failed him, not the other way around. Why did the Superior hide the truth from him - that his heart was not eaten by the Heartless like the others? That his heart was just fine? That his heart didn't need him, though he needed it? When he discovered that his heart had not been destroyed - indeed, it was living a happy, if autonomous existence - he decided to leave the organization. _

_His best friend was pretty upset, he remembered. So to speak. __**You can't turn on the Organization! You get on their bad side and they'll destroy you! **_

_Like he cared … as if he could care. He knew it was the same the other way around, too. __**No one would miss me.**_

_Suddenly, surroundings and timeframe changed. He was back at Twilight Town, back in his inexplicable dream. Back facing the crazy man in the white suit. "How dare you!" the man shrieked as he raised an accusing index finger. "How dare you shirk you duties and forget your promises!"_

"_What?" Sora yelled. He pushed the man away in shock. He was deeply offended._

"_How dare you run away from your responsibilities!" the man yelled with the ferocity of a cornered tomcat. "How dare you leave the rest of us to our torment? How dare you run away to this .. this dream world while the rest of us wither away in the World of Darkness! You have an obligation to my employer - no, to all of us!! You while away your days in this false idyllic life while the rest of us wait and wait –" _

_Sora missed the rest of his words. An uncharacteristic anger more acidic than stomach wounds burned in his brain. This man was worse than Saix! He knew that he had done nothing this past year except fulfill his duties as Keyblade Master and remember his promises to Kairi and Riku. He lost a year of his life for that! He fought and suffered! How dare this stranger tell him the opposite! _

"_H-how can you say something like that?" Sora shouted. "You don't even know me!"_

_The man took out the 3 x 5 card again and quipped, "Use aggression to liberate true disposition, remember?" _

_It occurred to Sora that he wasn't upset at all; he had simply switched to verbal aggression. He was only pretending to be upset to goad the boy into recklessness. Sora couldn't say the same for himself, for he was plenty upset. So it was a ruse ... it did its job! _

"_I'll show you aggression!" Sora cried. Only now did he remember the Keyblade as he summoned the weapon and charged..._

His opponent vanished, replaced by the dim gray of his bedroom ceiling. His Keyblade vanished, replaced by a fistful of blanket. Sora swore and threw a pillow at the ceiling. He hoped his mom didn't hear that. Nonsense, she was asleep; it was still night. Sora wished to know how to hasten the end of this dream, or at least interrupt it before it reached its end. He had an inkling that the logical conclusion of the dream would not have a happy ending.

* * *

The next morning, Sora called Riku on the telephone as soon as he could. He hoped Riku was already up. Of course he was already up! This couldn't wait until when they were walk to school with Kairi. This just couldn't. _Pick up the phone, pick up the phone, please pick up the phone - _

"H … hello?"

"Riku!" _Yes, he picked up the phone!_

"Sora? Dear god! Do you know what time it is? You woke me up!"

"Sorry, but this can't wait." Sora pondered his next words carefully. "I know still sounds stupid - even for me - but ... do you remember what happened this week? Wednesday and yesterday, I mean."

Riku did better; Riku analyzed the whole week. "Let's see ... the new guy weirded you out Monday, the library freaked you out Wednesday, and you were tired out yesterday. Let me guess." Riku's voice sounded as sure and reassuring as an answered prayer. "You told your mom about your weird week, and now she's going to take you to the doctor. Are you skipping school today?"

"No, of course not." _She wouldn't believe me._ "Bad dreams aren't good enough a reason to stay home from school, even I know that!" Compared to his recent nightmares, a weekly bout with the flu bug sounded almost like Spring Break.

"Hello, what's this?" Riku's voice had an "a-ha!" triumph to it. "So you know the reason you can't sleep at night? Because of bad dreams? How bad?"

"Not important! That's not what I called you about." Sora glanced hurriedly at his alarm clock. It was 6:50 AM. "Where was I - oh yeah. Can't you remember what else happened then? Besides me not sleeping well?"

A pause, and then: "On Wednesday there was the strange business at the library, and yesterday you kinda freaked out at Selphie's tarot deck. What's up?"

"This sounds weird, but…" Sora shuddered as he softly et out his next sentence. "I feel bad ... for what I did to Organization XIII. To the Nobodies."

Silence reigned on the other line for about three seconds, then a loud "_What?_"

"I know! It's only now that I feel like this! I never before, but … I feel sorry for them now." Sora breathed a little easier now that he got the important stuff off his chest. "Hear me out, okay? Please."

"Okay." Riku heard him out.

"Organization XIII wasn't like Maleficent or Hades," explained Sora. "They didn't want world domination, they just wanted their hearts back. Who can argue against that? Hearts are important, we all know that! They just went about it the wrong way." He gulped. "Some of them, like Demyx, were ... they weren't all bad sorts."

Was Riku hearing him out, or ignoring him due to shock? The silence Sora heard from the other side could be from either.

"And the Nobodies … they weren't like Heartless at all!" he continued. "The Heartless .. well, they're mindless monsters, nothing more to that. But the Nobodies! Yen Sid said they could think and plan. Which meant ... which meant - " They were sentient. _I killed sentient beings._ Yen Sid said that they had souls. _I killed living beings. _"They weren't mindless monsters, I know! I encountered a lot less of them than Heartless, so they weren't just mindlessly attacking everybody."

"You have a point," stated Riku. But Sora wasn't done.

"They were people once, Riku! I ... I never ... not once did I ... I mean, only Wednesday and yesterday did I realize that when I saw the stuff about Rould and Arleen. And Myde." _Luxord and Larxene. And Demyx._ "They were people! With family and friends. They wanted to be people again s-so they could come back to family and friends. But they're dead." _Because I killed them. I killed people. _

"They were already dead. And they were evil -"

"Yeah, but only because they didn't have hearts! They weren't like Pete, who chose to be evil. Y - Yen Sid said, if someone with a strong heart and will ... be they evil or _good_ ..."

"Sora! It's not Organization members you feel sorry for," explained Riku. "Only their Others. You feel pity for Rould and Arleen and all the them because they were victims of Heartless. Pity, not guilt! Just like you felt bad for Rufaus because he lost his parents. Yes, it's tragic that Rould and the others died, but there was nothing you could do."

"Is that why the Heartless were so horrible?" muttered Sora.

"Right. You feel pity because you have a good heart, but you forget, Sora. Nobodies are their Others aren't the same. Victims become Heartless and their _remains _become Nobodies, not the other way around. You mixed the two up."

"How'd you know that?" Sora was indignant.

"You and Roxas existed as separate beings for a while, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

"Organization XIII was up to some pretty horrid stuff. You had to shut them down," continued Riku sagely. "Remember how they harassed you on world after world? And you don't remember, but in Castle Oblivion they did even worse things. You lost a year of your life because of them." _I nearly lost my life because of them_, Riku thought morbidly. _Fighting one of them, to be more specific. Twice. Just so Sora wouldn't lose more years of his life. _"Finally," he concluded, "they were the ones releasing Heartless onto the worlds in the first place. I mean … can you even feel for beings that don't feel emotions? Or morality or remorse? _Should_ you?"

There was a long silence for a while, and finally Sora sighed. "You made a good point. I ... I can't really argue with that," he agreed resignedly. "Still ... for some reason .. now whenever I think back to when I defeated Demyx and Luxord, when they faded away, they seemed so ... so sad. So pathetic."

"Sora, they used you as a pawn. If they looked sad and pathetic, that was a ruse. You weren't fooled then, but you're fooled now?"

"I guess so," admitted Sora. "But why now? Why not then? I didn't feel like this back when I had to fight them." He already sensed the reason why. It was easy (and necessary) not to think about whether Nobodies deserved their fate when he was fighting them. But now, now that the dust had settled down ...

**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!** Sora punished his alarm clock for interrupting his conversation with a silencing slap. "Listen, I have to get ready for school. You too," said Riku "Think over what we said. We can talk later when we meet Kairi. See ya."

"Okay, see ya."

With that, Riku hung up his phone and the conversation was over. Turning off his own phone, Sora let out a long groan and got ready for school. _Riku was right_, Sora told himself. _Organization XIII was evil and had to be stopped at all costs. _Xemnas, Xigbar, Saix ... they were all evil in deed and thought (Especially Saix!). Defeating them was the only way he could go home. Hero of the Keyblade he may be, he really wanted to go home and be normal kid again.

Still in his pajamas, Sora shifted through some sheets of schoolwork on his desk when a flood of notes spilled from his hands onto the floor. "Whoa! These are Kairi's. How did they get here?"

He picked them up, one by one. _Not Kairi. More like Naminé_, he realized. The doodles all over the margins were in an unmistakable style. Kinda; he didn't have conscious or real memories of them, but he recognized them nonetheless. _Wow, Kairi's quite an artist._ She fitted in more doodles than you'd think possible all over her notes! Here was a chocobo! Over there was a superdeformed version of Ms. Trepe! And here was a fireball -

Sora felt terrible, like he was about to weep.

_They weren't all evil_, he thought. _Not all of them._ Axel certainly wasn't. Axel was his best friend - no wait, Riku was his best friend. Sora cradled his eyes in his hands. What was happening to him? Where did all this guilt come from? When would his dreams end?

Wait ... were his dreams and his guilt connected?

Maybe they were. Maybe one was inducing the other. The realization hit Sora with all the force of another **BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!** What the heck? Apparently he hit the snooze button, not the off button. This time Sora shut off his alarm clock for real.

* * *

"So you think your bad dreams and your feelings about the Organization are related?" asked Kairi as the three friends walked to school. 

"Yeah. The dreams began this week. So did my recent... uh, regret," said Sora as he stared in utter fascination at his shoes. It was strange; now that he remembered his most recent dream, he was remembering dreams from previous nights as well. "Every time I wake up, I remember my dreams more and more."

"Maybe your guilt is causing your dreams," guessed Riku. "Or the other way around - wait a minute!" He pounded a wise fist in the air in sudden comprehension. "Maleficent!"

"What about her?" asked Sora in a tired voice; it was bad enough he was thinking about Nobodies; he didn't want to think about the old witch as well! "We left her in the World that Never Was."

"We left her alive," replied Riku.

They spent the rest of their walk in silence. Shocked silence. The dreaded "OH MY GOD!!" silence that came with horrible realization. Riku and Kairi thought about the same thing throughout the walk; Maleficent was up and about again! They have to do something! Dow hat? Contact Disney Castle! How?

Meanwhile, Sora thought about something completely different. Sure, Riku's hypothesis made sense. No doubt Maleficent wanted revenge on him for foiling her plans. Twice. No doubt Maleficent would try a different course - haunt him in his dreams - knowing that a physical confrontation would result in her defeat. Again. No doubt Maleficent sent someone else instead of Pete - or Pete disguised as someone else - to throw Sora off her trail. No doubt the fatigue and remorse resulting from the dreams would leave him weak for her next attack, whatever it was.

But it wasn't Maleficent. He just _knew_. It didn't feel right; the gunman never mentioned her. Instead he mentioned Organization XIII. Sort of. _The dreams have to be about Organization XIII_, Sora thought. Besides, he never felt guilty for fighting Maleficent, even if they did team up in the end to take out Organzation XIII.

It never occurred to Sora to mention this to his friends. The extent of his fatigue was that in his mind, dream logic was spilling into waking logic.

"Rufaus!" Kairi suddenly called as she waved. "Did you take my notes?"

Sora looked up. Wow, they reached their classroom already? And in front of the door, reading _The Unbearable Lightness of Being_, was the new guy. Rufaus waved back at the redhead and shook his head. Looking at the (crazy, really-not-his-genre, what-kind-of-crazy-author-reveals his protagonists'-deaths-in-the-_middle_-of-the-plot?) heavy book in his hand, Sora realized something. Something about last evening, close resemblances, and a close call with the floor...

"Hey Sora?" asked Rufaus as he walked right up to the Sora and looked him in the eye. "We have to talk."

"Okay … sure."

Sora looked nervous, so Rufaus reassured him, "It's not homework, honest! Do you want to come to my apartment Saturday? I checked with my uncle, he won't mind."

"Huh?" Sora blinked in surprise. So it's not about the m - not about homework? "You want me to do what?"

"Hang out at my place tomorrow," Rufaus smiled. "You can stay as long as you like."

"Sure … why?" Sora was confuse and tapped his head in mimicry of Pooh. _There had to be a reason. He looks like the man in my dreams. Coincidence, but is there also a reason?_

"You're Kairi's friend, so you're my friend too," Rufaus explained. "Remember Monday? At first I was annoyed because I wanted to be left alone. That was my fault for not giving you a chance. Now I know what a great person you are, so I want to make it up to you. May I?"

"Sure!" Sora shook both Rufaus' hands up and down, sending his book flapping to the floor. "Where do you live? I'll come over first thing tomorrow!"

Meanwhile, Kairi grinned and Riku suspected something else. Sora beamed the best he could. So, the first nice thing in happen this morning involved the very person (or close facsimile) who made last night so bad. _Life is weird_, thought Sora. He tried to put his bad week behind him as he went into class. It wasn't not as though dreams could harm him in waking life ... could they?


	6. Chapter 6

"_So you do remember!" roared the man triumphantly has he took out his gun. The card's advice held true._

_Sora swung, but he man neatly side-stepped his attack and the Keyblade hit and bounced off the ground. Growling, Sora readied his weapon for a second try. Where was the man? There! Behind him! This time Sora didn't miss. The man cried out a curse as the Keyblade smacked him back a few steps. _

_Boss fight time, so be careful! These bullets weren't like Clayton's musket balls at all. They were powerful - powerful enough to kill a person in one blow. Did they originate in a world where guns were better than swords, and thus replaced swords? Can such a world even exist - GAH! The man was about to fire! _

_There was a deafening __**BANG!**__ as something hot and fast flew by his face. The man missed by inches. That, or he missed on purpose. Sora's face was locked in a priceless expression of utter shock and horror, and his hand was locked around the Keyblade's hilt. His feet were locked, too. The shot accomplished that much. _

"_Pitiful!" said the man. Sora needed to find some cover, fast. Not from more bullets, but from more insults. Like this one: "You are a stupid and self-deceiving child." Before the man could hurl more names, however, Sora suddenly charged and struck him in the chest. He didn't drop his gun._

_The man suddenly fired. Sora parried. Wow. It was possible to cut a bullet in half, apparently. At least with an enchanted weapon like the Keyblade. The man gaped in disbelief at the two holes in the trash bin behind the teen. "Amazing. Such a holy weapon, the Keyblade. Imagine someone like you in the - Oof!" This time he did drop his gun. _

_Sora took his brief break to cast Curaga. Then he glared dirks and daggers at the man. The man must be a masochist, for it seemed he welcomed those dirks and daggers. "You won't strike a man while he's down, would you?" he teased as he kneeled down. His hands groped the ground, found his firearm, and picked it up. "No, you wouldn't. I thought so." He grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "You're an honorable warrior. A true samurai like your –"_

_Snarling, Sora charged and executed a Sonic Attack. In angry retaliation the man smacked the side of the boy's head with the butt of his gun, then retreated a fair distance back and prepared to fire again. The fight continued. _

_How does one describe a fight between a master swordsman and an expert gunslinger? Be assured that there was much ducking and dodging. Indeed, there was much chasing, feinting, sharp-shooting, and sword-fighting. The trash bin became useless with holes, its contents spilling onto the pavement like blood and guts from a disemboweled victim. Sora even changed into Valor form once. It was chaotic. To Sora, the whole thing felt like ... a dream. A bad dream. It should end as soon as he kills this guy, he assured himself. Don't second guess yourself. Don't hold back. And watch out for bullets! _

_A great and unexpected idea came to him. Sora readied the Keyblade for one last strike ... and ran as far away from his adversary as he could. "What?" inquired the man. Then he was struck by lightning. Repeatedly. Magical lightning, to be more exact. _

"_Here!" cried Sora as he cast Thundaga at his enemy again and again. He should have thought of casting offensive magic earlier! Why didn't he think of this from the start? "You're not the only one who can attack from a distance!" _

"_So I see," came the muffled reply._

_The man was not moving, just standing there. Apparently the earlier present from the sky fried his joints to stiffness. Too bad for him, thought Sora as he charged forward with the Keyblade and landed in a good deal of old fashioned melee-style damage. The man did not even lift a finger to defend himself. _

"_Why don't you finish me off?" he finally suggested. "Hurray for aggression and all that ... but we're both tired, I'm sure."_

"_Glad to!" Sora raised his weapon for the final blow - then stopped. What the heck just happened to his voice? "What –"_

_The man grinned weakly, and his gun clattered uselessly to the ground. "I knew you would return to your true form, my liege," he said as he bowed most shakily … and fell over backwards from his injuries._

_That was when Sora noticed that his clothes had changed. His arm was no longer decked in fairy-given clothes, but coated in a long black sleeve. He ran his hand through his hair and to his great horror he didn't feel his familiar spikes. He looked at a tuft of his hair; it was dark blonde instead of brown. _

_Wait, he changed into Valor form earlier? Without Goofy? Only one other person wielded Two Keyblades at once._

_**The card's advice held true. **_

Ever had a nightmare you knew was a nightmare? Or tried to get out of bed in early morning, and failing? Ever struggled to wake up? The hard part is not falling asleep again. Ever believed that you woke up only to realize you were still dreaming? You go through your morning routines (brush teeth, change clothes, eat breakfast), then suddenly you wake up (for real) you're in bed all again. Then it repeats; you struggle, fall asleep, dream about doing your morning routines, wake up, repeat, etc. Usually on the third try you succeed.

Sora experienced this struggle for the first time in his life. But his was no ordinary struggle. It was a frightening struggle.

He strained to open his eyelids against their will. He thrashed in bed as his hands clutched the mattress for dear identity, gasping loudly. If he went back to sleep, he knew, he would not be so lucky. He may not wake up as Sora. Worse, he knew that as soon he went to bed tonight, the same thing would happen; the dream will resume. He wouldn't wake up as Sora tomorrow, unless something happened.

Sora had a strong will, luckily, and he eventually won his contest with drowsiness. Sitting up in his small bed (he dared not risk giving drowsiness a comeback tour), Sora wondered about the crazy turns recent nights had taken. For the past six nights his dreams - _dream_, really, singular - had gotten more and more unsettling, until last night. Maybe Riku was right. Maybe Maleficent really was visiting her dark designs upon him in his most vulnerable hours, when he slept - no, it wasn't Maleficent.

It was Organization XIII. No doubt about it.

But how could it be Organization XIII? He destroyed Organization XIII. Even if he felt pity for some of its members ... no, he must not feel pity for those who cannot feel pity! The Nobodies were wrecking havoc everywhere and had to be stopped, even if some of them didn't deserve to be broken and ruined, their hopes for salvation forever gone ... ugh, stop feeling pity!

Maybe his recent dreams were caused by his recent guilt; all he had to do then was to stop feeling guilty for destroying the Nobodies. Yes, he must squash all feelings of pity towards Demyx and Axel and the rest of Organization XIII, even if he himself was part of Organization XII once - no wait, he was never part of Organization XIII! Arugh! Lack of sleep was making his brain sluggish.

_I'll go wash my face and eat breakfast first_, thought Sora. _Dreams can wait._ And so he did. It was early, too early even for early Saturday morning cartoons. The house was as quiet as a held breath; Sora was the only one awake and downstairs. He groaned as he poured cereal into a bowl, then milk. It was still six. If the dreams don't do him in, lack of sleep will. Maybe he should call Riku or Kairi - no, most likely they were still snoozing. They already knew about his dreams. Maybe they could get together later today and discuss this. Too bad they didn't yesterday.

Sora pondered about the man in his dream as he chewed on his breakfast.

The man wore a white suit with the Organization XIII logo on the back, Sora remembered. He had green eyes and bluish-gray hair - Sora could never forget that shade of hair - but no other distinguishing. Did he had a tie? Probably. His white suit reminded Sora of Naminé's dress. Wait ... wasn't Naminé a Nobody?

He always knew the man was one of them ... somehow.

The man also reminded Sora of Rufaus. Rufaus! So that was the reason for the uncanny feelings of "Have I seen you before?" whenever he hung around the new guy! And Rufaus appeared right around the same time as the dreams; the two must be linked! He knew what he was going to do today. He was going to Rufaus' house and confront the new guy about everything! About the dreams, about his father, about everything - oh wait, Rufaus invited Sora to his house today! Lucky him. That made his mission all the easier.

Sora left home as soon as he felt the time was appropriate. He hoped he wasn't too early for polite company. Rufaus suggested noon or early afternoon. Was mid-morning okay?

* * *

The apartment complex in which Rufaus lived was located on the other side of town, accessible only by bus. The building itself was small, sea-green colored, and done in a tacky retro style. _Such a place would get forever to get used to! Poor Rufaus_, thought Sora. _If I had to move here, from anywhere, I would definitely hate my uncle for being a cheap fat dork._ **DING – DONG.**

"Come in."

As soon as he was let in, Sora made a beeline for the bedrooms. "Um, hi?" said his blue-haired host, left behind at the door.

Sora conducted a systematic scan of all rooms. Uncle Thaddeus' bedroom (he heard middle-aged snoring from within), guest bedroom, bathroom - there! There, in Rufaus' bedroom, next to his bed, was what he needed to see. Next to Rufaus' bed was a photo of happier times - more specifically, a photo of twelve year old Rufaus and his father in front of some famous historical landmark. Sora couldn't take his eyes off the photo. Father and son shared a clone-like likeness, but the father shared a likeness with someone else ...

_Oh my god, the man is real_, thought Sora. _My dreams are real!_ He gripped the picture in his hands as to look at father more closely.

The hair was blue streaked with grey instead of blue with grey bangs (and a darker shade), but it was done in the same style. The eyes were filled with fatherly joy and not devoid of emotions, but they were the same tint of green. The man in Sora's dreams was Rufaus' father.

Or rather, his Nobody.

"Sora?" The creak of a door heralded the entrance of Rufaus into his own bedroom. "Do you need to find the bathroom?"

"Hey, Rufaus? One question."

"Ask away."

"Does ... did your dad have a strong heart and will?" asked Sora as he indicated the framed picture. Crazy question, but it blurted out of his mouth before his brain could stop it. So much for dodging touchy issues.

"Urm, yeah," replied a puzzled Rufaus. "That was a strange question, you know that? Yeah, my dad was pretty strong-willed. You have to be, if you want to be a famous cartoonist. Why'd you ask?"

"Uh ... he sure looks like the strong-willed type, here in his picture," Sora fibbed. Not really, but looks could be deceiving. "What's this about cartoonists and strong wills?"

"Are you kidding me? Dad once told me that you need a strong heart and will - or as he would say, major guts - to pursue a career in cartooning. It's not all fun and doodles, you know." Rufaus stared sagely at the portrait. "You have to face endless rejection letters before your first publication. You have to meet weekly deadlines and deal with crazy editors and critics. Most of all, you have to believe your art is worth someone's time - no, let me rephrase that - you have believe your art is worth _your_ time."

_In other words_, thought Sora, you _have to believe in yourself_. Universal advice. One had to have a strong heart and will to believe in yourself, of course.

"My dad had no encouragement, you know," Rufaus continued. "He told me his family took serious offense at his decision to be a cartoonist instead of, say, a doctor or a lawyer. Like my uncles. Think about it, everyone gets sick or a lawsuit at least once in their lives. He said it was like facing peer pressure, but ten times worse. He and his family were never close. I never knew I even had uncles before he died." The boy sighed softly, reminiscing.

Sora knew of the near-invincible power of peer pressure - ten thousand childhood commercials couldn't be wrong! - and nodded solemnly. Peer pressure was near-invincible; family pressure, nigh-invincible! "Lucky for you, you and your family are close," he quipped, then realized his slip. "Were."

Suddenly he heard the click of a locked door.

"Rufaus?"

Suddenly the blinds went down, and the whole room was thrown into semi-darkness. Whoa, Venetian blinds. The picture fell from his hands onto the bed.

"I never got to really talk to you."

"Huh?" What was that supposed to mean?

"Remember Monday? It sounds weird, but when I saw you, I thought I saw you from somewhere. So I went over everything I have these past nights. What can I say? Truth is stranger than fiction. And sometimes, sometimes, you should believe in happy endings."

"Good for you," responded Sora. He saw no reason for closed blinds or a locked door and was about to say so when suddenly a thick blue three-ring blinder appeared on the bed, bouncing. Somewhere in the room, a light went on.

"Remember Tuesday? Remember when I talked about my parents? You didn't think it was weird, not even when I talked about the cold? Not at all. What sort of disappearance case mentions the room being cold?"

"What?" Sora had a bad feeling about this.

"Not just my parents'. Read the binder."

Picking it up and looking it through, Sora recognized the contents within. He gulped. Newspaper clippings. He saw many of them before, in online form, on Wednesday. Missing persons. The Night of Fate. Rould and Arleen. And Myde.

"When my parents vanished, I collected these clippings for a whole year," explained Rufaus. "Like I said, I reviewed everything I owned. See anything familiar?"

"Um ..."

"One of them is you."

"What?"

Indeed it was. One last article (from the _Destiny Islands Dispatch_) was about the disappearance of two local boys named Riku (aged fifteen) and Sora (aged fourteen). The two disappeared during a stormy night. There was one would-be witness, a girl named Kairi (aged fourteen) who mentioned their plans for sailing on a raft; thus, it was believed the storm was related to the case. The girl gave no valuable leads but insisted they would come back. The police attributed her belief to denial.

_Riku and me_, realized Sora. "Where did ... where did you get this?"

"A long time ago. I forgot about it until Thursday night, when I saw it again." The other guy's tone turned hard and professional. "You and Riku came back. You two are the only ones who did." The light moved, momentarily blinding Sora. Squinting, the brunette saw that it was a flashlight in Rufaus' right hand. "You know something about these cases." In the dimness, he looked very much like his father.

Sora sensed his next thoughts: _Mind if I interrogate you? _

Well, Sora wanted a confrontation with Rufaus; now he had it. But he wanted himself to be the confronter, not the confronted. The brunette felt as nervous as a brown mouse at a cat show. He could feel sweat forming on his brow - maybe that was heat from the flashlight. "N-no I don't," he said before he thought things through.

"Yes you do. And you will tell me everything." Rufaus sounded very matter-of-fact, very calm and in control. It was his room, after all.

"Then why the room's so dark and the flashlight - "

"First question. Where were you on the night of fate?"

Night of fate? That was _his_ name for that night! No fair! "I ... I was in my room. In my bed. Waiting for ... um, dinnertime. I was thinking about Kairi - I mean ... yeah."

An awkward pause ... then Rufaus asked, "What did you do next?"

_The storm! The raft! The Heartless! The Keyblade!_ Memories came back as easily as an opened file. "I … I looked out the window and saw a storm coming. I didn't want the raft to float away, so ... so I went to the island and -"

Sora could sense Rufaus mentally ticking off _storm_ and _raft_. "What happened at the island?"

Am I being interviewed or something? "Um … okay, island." Sora focused his mind on the island, hoping to calm it down. "Yeah, our neighborhood play island. No one under twenty is allowed. We go there all the time. Riku, Kairi, me … Tidus and his friends too. On some nights we used to camp out -"

"Okay, enough stalling. What about the island on that night?"

_So much for the island._ "Riku and I - and Kairi too - ... see, we were building a raft so we can go see - "

"I know that already, so it's not important. What happened when you arrived on the island?"

_So much for digression by means of islands or rafts - am I being interrogated?_ Sora felt like he was on the edge of a chasm; his only path out was a rope tautly tied to the other side. Would he fall or manage his way across? "Let's see ... I rowed there. I saw Riku's boat. And Kairi's." Sora took a deep breath. "And then ..."

And then he could lie. He could say he couldn't remember: _I blanked out as soon as I stepped on the island_. He could say the storm swept him away and he was lost at sea, hence his disappearance. _Just like Riku!_ Or he could say that he was so traumatized by that night that his memories were suppressed for a whole year! _That's kinda true, too._

"And then what?" Rufaus pressed on, persistent.

"And then…" Sora raised a hand to shade his face. "You know what? I'm not really comfortable right now," he confessed.

"Of course not, that's the point. The sooner you answer my questions, the sooner you can leave." Rufaus smiled to himself. "This is the part where I say I have a stick of evidence against you."

"A stick? What stick?!" Sora fairly yelled as though threatened by a particularly big one.

"Calm down! It's only an idiom," Rufaus replied calmly. Speak calmly and carry a stick. Rather, a flashlight. "Tell me what happened when you set foot on the island. You saw Riku's and Kairi's boats. What did that mean?"

_Riku in Darkness. Kairi in the Secret Place._ "I saw Riku's and Kairi's boats on the dock," Sora answered before caution could stop him. "So I knew Riku and Kairi were on the island too."

"During a storm. Interesting, go on." The voice was neither friendly nor hostile. It was flat like a Nobody's.

_Go on? Go on and then what?_ Sora never felt more fretful and unsettled in his life, not even when he confronted the possessed Riku at Hollow Bastion. To go on was to step on the rope ... and risk falling into the chasm. He could refuse to cross the chasm. _Just say no. _Staring at the door, Sora announced, "No. I can't tell you."

"What?" Rufaus was surprised.

"I just can't."

"Explain." Rufaus refused to let a surprise daunt him.

Sora squirmed a little. The rope swayed a bit underneath his feet. "No, can't do that either. This is ... it's not something I can just tell you."

Refusing his plea, Rufaus stated firmly and slowly (and more to himself than to Sora), "I'm not letting you leave until you tell me everything you know."

The rope swayed a bit more now; Sora tried his best to keep his balance. "It's not that simple. It's ... personal. Very personal. Too personal to tell." _And only can be shared with life-long friends._ Not newly made friends. Was Rufaus ever a friend?

"Of course it's personal. Not just for you. I lost my mom and dad." Rufaus paused a bit as to calm down his voice. "Forgive my jealousy, but you and Riku survived. They didn't."

The rope shook violently, and so did Sora's limits. "Hey, I lost a year of my life! And Riku nearly lost his -" Oh no, he said too much! _Riku nearly lost his heart._ He risked ruining the world order and hated himself for it.

"Okay! Now we're getting somewhere!" Rufaus declared in triumph. Sora heard a pencil scribbling and fumed at himself for letting slip vital information to a strange guy. "Did you lose a year of memories? Or are you referring to something more traumatic?"

"It was pretty traumatizing, I guess. Lost a whole year. I don't remember." From what he learned from Riku, Castle Oblivion was pretty horrid. Castle Oblivion, Organization XIII, Nobodies, the man with blue-gray hair ... horrid beings, all of them. He hated them all. A wave of horrible nausea and nasty hate surged through Sora as he wavered on the rope. He glared blue knifes at the son of the man with blue-grey hair.

Rufaus was too busy to notice. "So, according to my notes ... what you saw when you arrived on the island traumatized you," he theorized. "Whatever it was. Am I correct?"

"Is this why you invited me here?" Sora accused. "Just to interrogate me? How could you do this to me, Reddison?"

"Do what?" Rufaus wondered, startled. The arm holding the flashlight flinched, and Sora can now see his foe better. _Geez, he looks almost exactly like his dad! No wonder I feel trapped!_ Guess what? Sora was sick of feeling trapped. Time to take action.

"Invading my dreams!" Sora snapped as he pointed at the closed blinders, the binder on the bed, the flashlight shining in his face, the locked door, the new guy himself, everything. Rufaus blinked in confusion, so he continued, "I dreamed we were friends. Guess not. I thought you invited me to your apartment so we could hang out as friends! Some friend! Your uncle's right. If you don't move on with your life, you're going to become a Nobody! You better not do this to Riku too, or you're just as bad as your d -"

Sora shut his mouth in shame as Rufaus flinched as though struck with a length of rope.

The brunette regretted his words immediately; he didn't mean to be so rude! He wondered where his anger came from. It was gone now. Did Maleficent install it as to make him act erratically in front of innocent victims? Did it come from Rufaus' appearance? The new guy wasn't a bad guy, only concerned about fate of his loved ones. It wasn't too late to repair the damage, was it? Sora felt guilt. Some hero he was … a heartless hero who judged people by looks. Or parentage.

Rufaus sat on his bed like he was about to die. "My uncle said the same thing," he said softly. Reaching up with his hand, he flipped on the light.

"What did he say?"

"That I was turning into a nobody. He said that I wasn't making friends and 'having a life' as he puts it. Well ... I guess he's right, if you're right. Uncle said Mom and Dad wouldn't want me to waste my life being unhappy pining after them." He breathed in deeply. "Still ... "

"Um, you know, when I said you were turning into a nobody … I didn't mean that," Sora stammered. "At all. What I meant was - "

Rufaus glanced sad black eyes at Sora. "You survived what killed my parents. You _know_ what killed my parents. Just tell me what. Just that. You can leave and never have anything to do with me again. You don't have to tell me anything else." He looked tired. He looked like someone else. Not Jasper.

_Just tell me that. Nothing else really matters anymore._

"I would if I could," sighed Sora sadly. "But even if I did, you'll never believe me."

"Try me."

"Do you believe in true love conquering over all, good winning over evil, and wishes coming true?" _In monsters out of your darkest nightmares and legendary weapons that look like giant skeleton keys?_

Rufaus snorted like a cosmopolitan intellectual. "What kitsch. Of course not."

Sora, in turn, shrugged like a backwards farm boy. "Then … no, I can't. I'm sorry for blowing up at you. I had no right to hurt you like that."

"I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable. I had no right to revive repressed memories of - wait!" Rufaus lit up, sustained by Sora's apology. "To recover from trauma, did you create false kitschy memories to fill in the gap? Because that can explain a lot - "

"I thought we're done interrogating," Sora said in an annoyed voice. Then he relented. "Okay. I'll tell you one thing. Just one." He hoped Donald would forgive him for risking the world order. _Here goes._ "Heartless."

"Heartless?" Rufaus looked completely confounded.

"Yeah."

Rufaus wasn't satisfied. "Heartless ... what? Heartless man-eating monsters? Heartless serial killer who strikes at different homes at the same time? Heartless worldwide ring of terrorists? Heartless doomsday cult?"

"Just Heartless. One word. I'm really sorry, but I can't tell you more. I really am." Well, he better make Rufaus feel better, somehow. "What do you know about the night of fate?"

"On that night," explained Rufaus, "At least fifty people vanished from their homes without a trace. My parents, you, and Riku were among them. Some witnesses remembered coldness and a weird smell. Other witnesses were deemed unreliable. Many witnesses remembered a storm, which was weird, as the disappearances happened everywhere, in all climates. Unless there was a worldwide storm ..." Rufaus trailed off, pondering. He himself didn't remember a storm; he was sound asleep. "Forty eight people remain missing," He continued. "They came from all demographics and income levels. The only similarity is how their friends described them. Two people eventually turned up alive - you and Riku - but their families never reported it. No one took note. That was weird."

"You interrogating me, that was weird," mused Sora.

"Sorry."

"Promise me you won't bring this up again."

"Very well."

"What was with the interrogation, anyway? It was so … direct."

Rufaus looked puzzled. "What? But it's standard procedure. The police uses it. How else was I suppose to gather evidence properly?" He titled his head, wondering where he went wrong. And here he thought he made a good detective. "Your case … it's as though someone messed with everyone's memories. Everyone seems to have forgotten you were gone at all -"

"Okay, looks like you know more of this than me." _Eerily, a lot more._ "We're done here." Sora went to the bedroom and opened it. Then he got an idea. "Hey Rufaus, what was your dad's name?"

"Jasper. Jasper Reddison. Why?"

_Jasper, got it! The man's called Jasper Reddison._ Merlin once taught that if you learn someone's full name, you gain power over him. It was a long shot, but it might also be his only chance of surviving his dream tonight. "Just curious," Sora fibbed. "I saw ... I mean, I think I saw his name somewhere, once." That lie was uncannily close to the truth, he thought.

"It was probably in the newspaper," Rufaus replied. "My dad used to write and draw a strip called Acheron High. Ever heard of it?"

"No, sorry," Sora chirped as he glance outside. Rufaus still sat on his bed. He glanced at the photo of happier times, three years ago. Meanwhile, Sora stepped out into the hallway and freedom … and possible salvation.

The two teenagers hung out the rest of the day. At noon, Sora dragged him to the newly-opened mall. Rufaus wanted to visit the bookstore, but Sora dragged him towards the arcade. "C'om, you gotta enjoy yourself! It's Saturday!" the brown-haired boy insisted.

Rufaus gave him a befuddled look. "First you tell me to ignore my uncle, now you tell me to follow him. Make up your mind, Sora."

"I'm open-minded," explained Sora.

"You're an idiot," realized Rufaus.

"I'm the best idiot I know of," boasted Sora.

"You're the best idiot _of which_ you know, you mean."

"Aw … well, you're a egghead!"

"Why thank you." The two boys laughed. Sora was glad that his new friend was enjoying himself. He was also glad that he was enjoying his time. Today was a reprieve before the challenge tonight. Tonight might not lead to tomorrow.


	7. Chapter 7

_As soon as Sora fell asleep, the struggle resumed. Back where things left off…_

_The man got up from his aborted bow to find his liege looking over himself with a fairly horrified expression on his face. Running to the other's side on shaky legs, he asked, "My liege, what is wrong?"_

_His master pushed him away. "Get away! I - I'm not who you think I am." _

"_My liege!" the man cried. He shook the boy a bit. When that had no effect, he decided to try something different. Something drastic. Something risky. Something crazy enough to work. He decided to call the liege by name: "Roxas!" When that failed, by rank: "Number Thirteen?"_

_The teenager glared at him with angry blue eyes. "I'm not Roxas!" he cried. Even though he looked like him. Fortunately he only __**looked**__ like Roxas; he was still Sora at heart. Yes, he still had a heart. Still ... how long until any inner changes follow this recent surface change? He must recover his true form, somehow. What was the man's name? That was the key._

"_Please, my liege. We don't have much time," said the man. "I can't just carry you back. Given the circumstances, you have to come willingly with me."_

_But his liege was going nowhere. He just stood there, eyes on the ground, hands at temples, face locked in concentration. Jasper edged towards him and tapped him in the shoulder a bit when the boy said (startling him back a few steps), "Your name is Jasper Reddison."_

"_You finally remember my name," said Jasper. He looked relieved, like Axel did when he came to Twilight Town for the second time to - whoa! Those weren't his memories! He must focus on his own memories. He must focus on being Sora. The boy closed his eyes and imagined himself wearing his trademark shorts and short sleeves instead of a black coat. When the adult began to bother him with shoulder taps again, he said (again causing the other to step back), "You're a Nobody."_

"_As are you," replied Jasper helpfully._

"_You were sent to ... No!" The black-coated boy shook his head, trying to clear it. "You got the wrong guy! I'm not Roxas. I'm his Other." __**I'm Sora. I have a heart. I'm not Roxas of Organization XIII. I'm not even Roxas of Twilight Town. I'm Sora of Destiny Islands. I'm Sora, I'm Sora, I'm Sora ... **_

"_Other?" inquired the man in a puzzled voice. Silence reigned for a while. Shocked silence, and Sora knew he succeeded. _

"_Yeah. I'm not Roxas. I'm Sora," he said. He heard his own voice. He inspected his hair. Have they transformed back into their usual brown spikes? Yes. He inspected his body. His clothes had changed back, to his great relief. He added, "You know, his original self. Before he ever lost his heart."_

_The teenager expected a different reaction. He certainly didn't expect the adult to grasp his hands in glee and grin like a real person with a heart. "Wonderful!" gloated Jasper. "Not only has Organization XIII succeeded in its goal, it succeeded in restoring its members' original hearts! I can't say the same for my employer, but personally - "_

"_No, you got everything wrong. Organization XIII is no more. It's gone. Dead. Forever. Kaput," Sora said. Then he added, "I destroyed it." _

_Now the teenager got his expected reaction. The adult's arms fell limp and his face went expressionless. If he were a real person, he would have looked shocked and upset. Not blank and befuddled. "What?" murmured Jasper. "No, how? The more important question is ... how did you survive? How could you destroy your own Organization?"_

"_Long story," said Sora, "but I'm not in the mood to tell it right now." He really wasn't. He remembered DiZ apologizing to Roxas. He remember Luxord asking Roxas, how could you? He remembered his recent days of regret. Then he suppressed his regret and summoned his courage as he said, "It's over. Get over it. Go away. Leave my dream. There's nothing more you can do here." _

_He expected Jasper to react adversely and attack him. He expected Jasper to hurl another string of insults and names. He did not expect Jasper to obey and leave. The man turned on his heels walked away from the boy, head down, hands in pockets, appearance defeated. As he left, Sora heard him mutter, "Farewell, Roxas' Other. Besides, I ran out of bullets…" _

_He vanished in mid-step. Faded away, just like that. Sora wasn't surprised. After all, dreams exhibit strange logic and Nobodies fade away when they die. _

Then the dream ended. For good. Sora enjoyed the nice deep sleep without dreams. Eventually Sora woke up, feeling refreshed and energized after a restorative night's sleep. Then he went back to bed. It was Sunday, after all.

* * *

"The dreams are gone," he told his best friend. 

"Back to normal nights?"

"Yeah … it's like nothing changed in the first place."

"Nothing's changed, huh?"

"Nope. Nothing will".

"What a small world."

"But part of one that's much bigger."

"Yeah..."

It was a bright and beautiful Sunday afternoon. Here was a familiar scene at Destiny Islands: Sora and Riku relaxing at their usual spot, looking out to the ocean. Today was a very happy day for Sora. After a good night's sleep, he woke up in a very good mood. To retain his good mood, he spent all Sunday hanging out with Riku and Kairi at their island. And only with Riku and Kairi. Thus, his good mood lasted all day.

"Hey Riku … what do you it was?" wondered Sora. "The door to the light?"

Riku pointed at the brown-haired teen's heart. "This."

"This?"

"Yeah. It's always closer than you think," voiced Riku.

Sora smiled. Yes, he should try to remember that. Whenever they were alone, with no classmates or parents around, they would talk about personal subjects, such as keys, doors and light. Secret matters like Kingdom Hearts and Heartless.

"Sora! Riku!" called out Kairi from afar. Breathless, she ran up to them, cradling a mysterious message in a narrow glass bottle.

"Hey, what's up?" asked Sora. His eyes immediately went to the strange bottle. It was important somehow, he could tell.

"Look!" As she showed off the bottle to them, they noticed a simple but distinct three-circle symbol – the seal of King Mickey.

"From the King?" cried Sora. Without further ado and with her silent consent, the brunet took the bottle nd dumped out the message within. Together they silently scanned its contents. This was what it said, in abridged form:

_You three are cordially invited by His Majesty, King Mickey the First, to attend the 39th Anniversary Celebration of Disney Castle! This all-day celebration commemorates the 39th anniversary of the founding of Disney Castle. _

_A gummi ship will arrive to pick you up next Saturday at 11:00 AM. Be on time! _

_PS: Donald and Goofy say hi._

"It's an invitation," said Sora. "To Disney Castle. Wow. I can't believe it." He was in mild shock. Hence his blank expression.

"Where are the dress codes? There isn't any, is there?" said Riku. "Guess we can go casual." Hence his smirk.

"It's next Saturday," said Kairi. "I always do homework on Saturday. I can't do it on Sunday. At least it's not on a school day." Hence her worry.

"We can make up excuses, you know." said Riku. Meanwhile, Sora re-read the letter to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Hmm ... we can say to our parents that we're going on a picnic somewhere," agreed Kairi. "A camping trip, just the three of us. Someplace remote, so they won't get suspicious."

"We can say we're finally sailing on our raft to see new worlds!" joked Sora.

"Yeah, except the raft's long gone," admonished Riku jokingly. "Man, that would have been a good excuse."

The three brainstormed for a while. "We can say we're going downtown," suggested Kairi. "No we can't. Rufaus lives downtown. How about out-of-town?"

"Hey, you don't suppose Rufaus can come along ... nah, guess not," Sora half-heartedly suggested. No, of course not; to invite new guy, a stranger, would be to risk the world order.

The trio spent the rest of Sunday afternoon discussing how to best prepare for the next weekend. In the end, they simply decided on an not telling anyone anything. Let their parents and friends speculate. Their parents could assume they were at each other's homes. Their friends could assume they were at the new mall, the school library, the downtown public library, here, or somewhere else.

* * *

_Sora had one last dream._

_He returned to the basketball game, deflated ball in hand. Except it wasn't deflated; it was whole, like nothing happened to it in the first place. And so Sora and his friends resumed their impromptu game. Sora's side won! Riku and Kairi cheered. Olette told Vivi he tried his best. Rai and Fuu protested._

"_Seifer … didn't sleep too well last night, y'know?"_

"_Insomnia."_

_Let them resort to whatever logic they desired. Sora didn't care. Things got so good so fast! They won their basketball game! They were going to visit Disney Castle next Saturday! He jumped up and down and yelled, "Disney Castle! Anniversary Celebration! Next Saturday! Who can wait? I love being cordially invited!"_

_Shouldn't he be yelling about basketball and beating Seifer? Well, so went dream logic._

_Sora ran over to Donald and Goofy and thanked them for the invitation, ran over to Riku and Kairi and thanked them for aiding him on the court, then ran over to Hayner and his friends and thanked them for a game well-played. Then he spied an adult watching them from afar. The adult had blue-grey hair and a blank expression on his face. Sora ran over to him and told him to get lost._

The dream faded, replaced with several hours of deep sleep. Sora did not recall it when he awoke.

* * *

_Author's Note: And now you know ... the rest of the story. What was on that fateful message at that very last FMV on that fatefully wonderful videogame, to be more specific. Nomura-san said it was not a "Hello, it's been awhile" letter, but I think it was not terrible news about new enemies or the return of old enemies, either. It could be something positive, an invitation to the magic kingdom! Never thought of that, did you?_


	8. Intermission

Castle Oblivion was abandoned.

Now its corridors and columns spoke of death - the deaths of its five masters, to be exact. Or rather, two and a half - the deaths of five half-persons, four male, one female. All were Nobodies; three founders, two neophytes; all were members of Organization XIII. Vexen, Lexeaus, Zexion, Marluxia, Larxene.

Because of these five deaths, Castle Oblivion was abandoned.

Now its rooms no longer contained illusions or Heartless. Walls and columns were no longer a heavenly white, but a purgatorial gray from neglect. Even in its half-ruined state, however, it echoed forth terrible majesty. With a little restoration and renovation, it could have become a respectable second base of operations for its remaining masters … except that they died too, only later.

Because five deaths were followed by seven more, Castle Oblivion remained abandoned.

It was forgotten by Organization XIII, and would ... _should _have remained forgotten by all, except that although Organization XIII was gone, Organization XIII was not forgotten, even though it should have been forgotten.

Two men investigated Castle Oblivion.

One was clad in a nice white suit, complete with matching hat and tie. Scanning the castle's rooms with curious green eyes, he prowled the premises like a prospective tenant who liked what he saw. His bluish gray hair was almost black in the dim rooms of the deserted place.

He gave a quick glance towards his companion, who seemed to be less focused on room inspection and more on containing his frustration. His companion was decked in scholarly gray robes with darker gray trim. Was he a Franciscan monk? No, he was not bald. Instead he had white hair that hung limply about his head. White, not silver! White like lab rabbit fur. His rabbit-red eyes radiated ire as he combed the rooms for a clue. Any clue. No clues he found.

"Perdition!" the man in grey finally spat, stamping the marble floor with an angry foot. "I feared the worst to have happened. Organization XIII is no more."

The man in white nodded in solemn concord, then peeked into a nearby jar like a cat peeking into a mouse hole as though unconcerned. "I don't see why you had to visit Castle Oblivion," he quipped. "What's left of it, anyhow."

"This was where five of thirteen members died. All on the same day! You yourself would not be able to believe it!" huffed the other man. Then he sighed. "There is a difference between learning of something via divination ... and coming here and seeing the proof for yourself."

"You didn't want to believe it, you mean," corrected the first man. He stared in utter fascination at a nearby wall decoration.

"No, I could not. I thought a fluke to have occurred. I thought some members to have hidden here during.." the robed being trailed off. His companion was correct; there really was no point in searching the premises. The answer they sought was as clear as their inner emptiness.

"So much for that theory," concluded the white-suited man.

"Yes. So much for that." The grey-coated man leaned back against a wall in defeat. To entertain himself, he summoned a globe of floating light to hover towards the ceiling. Its light was dull, like his spirits. "No survivors. No Organization members. No more Organization XIII. This is a terrible time to be a Nobody."

"It's always a terrible time to be a Nobody. That was the purpose of Organization XIII: to cure the Nobody condition. Now, we are all…" - the other man searched his mind for a more polite substitute for a certain word - "…doomed."

"True. But more terrible for you than for me ... am I correct, Jasper? You knew some of them personally."

Jasper Reddison turned and nodded curtly; his green eyes gleamed with indignation in the half-lit room. "You're damn correct, Crypus. Most terrible," he crowed. "For me, it's a personal tragedy." He curled up against a different wall and gazed at the magically created ceiling lamp above. "So what now? Back to the city? Am I fired?"

"You will not be fired," said his employer, who was named Crypus. "I hired you to assist me in finding out what exactly happened to the Organization. You did. You are to be paid, not dismissed." He sat down, resting his arms on his knees. Drawing his knees up close, he resembled a rabbit hunkering down in its burrow for the night.

"It's been a horrible year for me, so far," murmured Jasper.

"More, in my case," replied Crypus.

The two men rested for some time, hunched over against their respective walls. Gradually the ceiling light grew dimmer, as the spell that created it was reaching its end. Crypus did not replace it. Crypus cared nothing for Organization XIII. But he had a stake in it succeeding. They both did. They all did. Everyone in the city did. Everyone in the city held Organization XIII in high esteem. Even esteemed fellows like Crypus.

Suddenly Crypus remembered. "Wait, I nearly forgot. Have you investigated the rumor?" he inquired. He did not dare to hope. It was only a rumor and it was only professional thoroughness that demanded him to determine whether it were true or false. It was most likely false.

"Yes, I have," answered Jasper.

"Was it true or false?"

"True … _and_ false." Jasper thought back to the strange experiences of his assignment. Rumors spoke of a sole survivor; hired by Crypus, it was his duty to investigate that rumor. That he did by visiting that vine-covered fortress formerly known as the Castle that Never Was. He barely made it out; Maleficent and her minions were a b - ... er, witch to evade (how appropriate). But he saw what he came to see; imagine his shock when he saw that one of the tombstones in Naught's Requiem was blue. Not red. Pure living blue.

"True and false?" Crypus gave his friend a skeptical stare. "Elaborate."

"There _was_ a survivor, so it seemed ... and no, it wasn't Zexion."

"Axel?"

"Not him either."

Crypus nodded, inwardly scolding himself for daring to hope after all. Of course Zexion died. Axel too, for killing him. "Then who?"

"Who else?"

Who else, indeed? Who wasn't killed at the hands of - Crypus sucked in his teeth as his eyes widened in disbelief. "_Him_?"

"Him and no other. Or rather ... not him, _but_ his Other. Or so he told me. He was very direct about it." Jasper squinted at the globe of light dimmed further, nearly all spent. He took off his hat and pressed it against his chest in memory of his missing liege. "Do you wish to know how I contacted him? It's quite long, I'm afraid."

"Yes. Tell me." Crypus still couldn't believe it. Him? Roxas? Organization XIII's Number Thirteen?

"I contacted someone whose powers as a Nobody revolves around oneiromancy," began Jasper. "Apparently, she was once an oneirologist. With her assistance, I was able to enter and direct his dreams. It was ... an interesting experience. Too bad it ended in failure." He frowned as he recalled his experience. The face of his liege. The face of his liege's Other. Both looked identical; he couldn't discern between them. Was it his fault? Then again, the two were supposed to be one ... in a sense.

_Both are nothing but data to them. The fools could never tell the difference_.

"I entered with the intention of asking him where he was in waking life, so I could come get him," continued Jasper as he listlessly inspected his hat. "When he didn't recognize me, I assumed that in his dream, he invented a false persona and life history for himself. A version of him with a heart, I supposed. I tried to jump start his memory by various means … we actually fought in the end. In the end I thought I succeeded, but ... well, he told me the truth." The blue-haired man looked unhappily at the marble floor. "I gave up at once, what was the point? He also told me he destroyed the Organization."

"Not him, but his Other?" repeated Crypus. "Wait ... he destroyed the Organization? How could he? He was the same as us!"

"He didn't. His Other did. He himself is gone. Only his Other exists now," corrected Jasper. "Normally, this would be good news. Currently it's not."

"Supremely bad. So the rumors were wrong. Every Organization member is gone," concluded Crypus. "One met his end differently from the rest, nothing more. I sensed as much." Above, the light finally extinguished itself, leaving them in twilight.

"I think he still exists. In a sense," said Jasper after a while.

"Wishful thinking!"

"I think I shouldn't have given up. If only I knew where his Other lives now. He didn't tell me."

"Whatever course of action you think to be the best," the grey-robed man shrugged as he began to get up. Suddenly he stopped midway. "Wait. Jasper, were you able to get any useful knowledge from his head while in his dreams?"

"No. I lingered a bit after the mission failed, but … wait, I forgot!" Jasper grinned like the Cheshire Cat as he re-positioned his hat on his head. His feline-green eyes looked vengeful and predatory in the half-darkness. "I remember now. He and his friends are going to Disney Castle."

"Disney Castle?"

"Disney Castle." Jasper told him everything he knew. _Anniversary. Celebration. Cordially invited. _

Crypus said nothing as he left the room, nor did Jasper as he followed his employer. Silence reigned as the two Nobodies navigated their way back to the entrance of the sprawling marble mansion. Silence reigned, because they had no need for further conversation. They knew what they should do next. What _Jasper_ should do next, to be more exact.

So, Organization XIII was destroyed. But a hint of it remains, ironically, in the very person who destroyed it. In the Other of its so-called sole survivor, Roxas. The Key of Destiny. The key to the next course of action. "You know what to do," said Crypus as he opened the front door.

"To Disney Castle," agreed Jasper as he stepped outside.

Crypus followed and shut the door behind him. It was dusk. Tall green grass grew all around, in vibrant contrast to the ruined castle. No storms surged in the distant atmosphere. It was peaceful. It was somewhat less peaceful in the minds of the two men. Crypus's thoughts were the same as Jasper's that moment, and here was what they thought:

Ansem the Wise was dead. The man who orchestrated the downfall of Organization XIII also orchestrated his own downfall, and thus was beyond this universe's justice. The bitter bastard who hated all Nobodies (despite having beef with only six of them) and whose revenge reached all Nobodies was himself beyond reach. He had hurt all Nobodies by destroying their only hope for salvation, but he could not be hurt in return, as he was gone. But his ally, Mickey Mouse the Steamboat King, was still alive at Disney Castle.

There was going to be a bloody reckoning.

The two men left Castle Oblivion. Teleported away, that is, by means of Dark Corridors.


	9. Chapter 8

_Sora dreamed._

_They were normal dreams again. They were dreams of his past exploits as the Keyblade Master, but not in order. One minute, he was on the Black Pearl with Will Turner and Jack Sparrow. The next minute, the Black Pearl was engaged in naval battle with Captain Hook's ship. Sora fell overboard and became a merman. Now he was having adventures with Ariel. Was it his first or second time under the sea? He couldn't tell. Then water became dry land and he was a human again, interacting with Belle at Beast's Castle. And so on ..._

_Eventually, Sora dreamed about when he woke up in Twilight Town for the first time. He saw himself in his old clothes. He saw Donald and Goofy waiting for him outside. He joined them and together they danced in a ring._

_Then surroundings and timeframe changed, and Sora and his friends danced in a ring on a field of grass outside. All his friends were there now, whether they came from Disney Castle, Destiny Islands, Radiant Garden, Twilight Town, or a world Sora visited before. Aladdin, Hercules, Jack, and the Beast were there. Even Pooh and his friends from 100 Acre Wood were there; Piglet's legs hung high above the ground, as did Pooh's. Riku was to his right, Kairi to his left. It was a huge ring. It was a lively dance. _

_Round and round they went, hand clasping hand, footsteps in tandem. They never got dizzy. They never got tired. They never got bored. They were dancing in a circle, after all. As Sora once read somewhere in a book (he couldn't remember which):_

_**Circle dancing is magic. **_

_How long have they danced? Minutes? Months? Sora couldn't tell. Such was the nature of dreams. To an unwary passerby, they must have looked like fairies in a fairy ring. Suddenly Sora felt something was amiss. Lo! There was an unwary passerby witnessing their dancing! Rufaus Reddison looked at the ring of celebrants, a blank expression on his face. _

_Why wasn't Rufaus in the ring of friends? Why wasn't he dancing with them? Why wasn't he celebrating? Yes, they were celebrating. They celebrated their goodness, their friendship, their capacity to feel and love, joined by the bonds in their hearts. He remembered talking about connected hearts once._

_**The circle they describe on the ground is a magic circle bonding them into a ring.**_

_They danced to celebrate the end of the war against Darkness; the war was over, and their side won. The Heartless and the Nobodies, defeated, would bother their homes no more. Every world was at peace; everyone could go back to their families and homes and live happily ever after. _

_Okay, not everyone. Rufaus continued to watch from outside the circle. _

_Why wasn't he celebrating? No, the real question was, why couldn't he celebrate? Looking around, Sora saw why; they were dancing in a circle. Now he felt a pang of guilt. They could not stop for Rufaus, even if they wanted to, for it would ruin the dance. For them to rejoice, he could not. To stop dancing was to invalidate the celebration and admit that it was too soon to celebrate. Technically, they could never celebrate; it would always be too soon. As long as Darkness existed in even one heart, the Heartless could return. _

_**Even though I did not belong to them, I could not help looking on with envy and nostalgia, I could not take my eyes off them. **_

_Was that what the blank expression on his face meant? Rufaus did not know of the war against Darkness, for to preserve the world order … no, that wasn't it. Rufaus was not benefiting from the war against Darkness. In dreams, blankness could be substituted for any emotion. Such was dream logic. _

_It was too much. Sora did not want to see anyone suffer on his account. Letting go of Riku's and Kairi's hands, he spun out of the ring. "Rufaus, you want to - WHOA!" THUD!! Dancing in a circle had left him disoriented and unprepared for the outside world. The grass jumped up and greeted Sora with a smack on his forehead. The Keyblade's Chosen One was now sprawled face-down on the ground. Not very becoming of a hero, ain't it? _

_**Then one day I said something I would better have left unsaid. I was expelled ... and had to leave the circle.**_

_When he got up the new guy was gone and the dance was still going on. He tried to get back in, but each time he tried to tap on someone's shoulder, his hand passed right through. The dancers ignored him like he didn't exist. There were no ways around it; he could not rejoin. Now he couldn't dance with Riku and Kairi, all because he deigned to care about the new guy. He should have remembered the warning about circle dances:_

_**Once a circle closes, there is no return.**_

_Like a fallen angel whose wings were maimed, he sulked away. He wandered the grassy field for quite some time, looking for something. He couldn't remember what he looked for until he saw it: in front of him, marching in two rows of six, were twelve figures in black. He ran up and took his place in the second row. _

"_Back again, Roxas?" snorted the figure next to him. She was a mean girl. _

"_Shut up, Larxene."_

_**Leave a row and you can always go back to it. The row is an open formation.**_

_On they marched, in two rows, the first one of six, the second of seven, thirteen figures in black, like soldiers or fascist commandos, the picture of imposed unity. Non-innocence hung around them like damnation._

Then he woke up. As Sora, thank goodness.

He waited a week. Finally, it was Saturday, that magical Saturday that involved going to the magic kingdom. Sora closed his eyes for a few seconds, them opened them and yelled, "I thought this was over!"

He was quite annoyed. He remembered that crazy book now: The Book of Laughter and Forgetting. Rufaus had lent it to him last Saturday to make up for that disastrous interview. Rufaus was a nice enough fellow, but he had the worst taste in books. Funny that Sora was more annoyed with a book than with his dream. Dream logic usually didn't linger in the morning, but not today.

* * *

"Maleficent." 

Sora pried his face from the window. He had taken a window seat. "Huh?"

"We have to tell the King about Maleficent, remember? And your dreams," reminded Kairi. Her wide eyes looked very wise as she sat to his right.

Sora nodded, "Right. My dreams." He returned to gazing out the window, but a memory from this morning made him held his breath. After five normal nights, the dreams resumed ... but did that dream count? It was not about confronting a man resembling Rufaus' father, but it was still about ... Sora shuddered. He did not want to become Roxas, even if he wished to meet the guy once.

Noticing his shudder, Kairi lightly patted his back. The brunet visibly relaxed at her touch. No, of course he wasn't going to turn to Roxas; his heart wasn't going anywhere. It was bonded tightly to his friends, for one thing; his friends would help him remain Sora.

"I had one this morning," he added, turning to face the redhead.

"Was it the same as the others?"

"Um ... I don't know." Sora was truthful. "The dreams stopped for a week, then last night ... no. Definitely not." He shook his head. "Last night's dream didn't have _him_ in it."

"The man from the dreams?" Kairi inquired. She knew that his dreams featured a man in white; Sora had told her all about him. But aside from his outfit, Kairi knew not much more.

Sora nodded. "Yeah, but it still had Twilight Town. I'm confused."

"Don't worry. The king will know what to do," quipped an older voice to the right of Kairi. Further right to Sora, Riku had his head buried in a textbook. Sora wondered why the silver-haired teen would be bothered with schoolwork on Saturday, especially _this _Saturday.

"Riku?" Sora wondered. "What's with the textbook?"

Riku noted Sora's panicked look. "Huh? Oh, don't worry, it's not for you."

"Oh, okay." Reassured, Sora returned to staring out the window. Outside, gummi blocks floated about in strange, silent, stationary positions. Great and small, in every possible shape, they gleamed pastel blue and jell-o red, watercolor yellow and avocado green. Wow. He never noticed how abstract and beautiful they were before, now that no Heartless or Nobody ships were around to harass. Also, he wasn't busy piloting. He got to rest in the backseat.

"Excuse me," Kairi called out to their pilot. "How long until we reach Disney Castle?"

"About half an hour, ma'am!" replied their eager pilot, whose name was Max. He resembled a shorter, younger version of Goofy.

"Miss," quietly replied an annoyed Kairi. She glanced at Riku's textbook with irritation. "You shouldn't be reading while we're riding. It's bad for your eyes."

"Nonsense," assured Riku nonchalantly. "That's only for cars. We're in a ship. Besides, the lighting's all right." True enough; the inside of the gummi ship was amply lit. Riku resumed poring through his textbook ... a somewhat familiar math textbook. Kairi realized this when she saw the cover.

"Math Analysis?" she inquired.

"Math Analysis," he answered.

"But that math textbook ... "

"Is the one you guys use."

"But you're ... "

"Being held back."

"Then why are you reading our textbook?" As soon as she asked the question, the answer came to her mind. "Oh. You want to ..."

"Skip a grade, yeah." Riku closed the book and his eyes, then massaged his temples in a manner similar to Leon (or so she remembered). "Harder than I expected," he complained.

"Why? I thought you said you were going to take it easy!" Technically, Riku wasn't even repeating a grade; like Kairi, the teen was experiencing his grade level for the first time, So he was experiencing it a year later than customary due to his adventures with the Heartless. Was it that bad?

"I do. I also want to hang out with you guys at school again," admitted Riku.

"Oh." At school, they shared no classes, only lunch hour. Sometimes they caught snippets of time between periods. Rarely did Riku's path intersect with Sora's or Kairi's. No doubt Riku, the odd man out, found that frustrating.

When Riku spoke again, he confirmed her suspicions. "It's hard to explain," the older teen confessed. "Personal pride, I guess? No, more like normalcy. It just doesn't feel normal to be away from you two." _And see you two with that Reddison guy_, he added silently. _He disturbs Sora, Sora told me so. _

Kairi nodded. "If you say so. But leave it on the ship. We're here to enjoy ourselves."

"Yeah, Riku," chirped Sora. "You don't see me worrying about school." He directed his attention back to the pilot. "Is it half an hour yet?" The brunet wondered if the guy was related to Goofy somehow. A nephew, like Donald's Huey, Dewy, and Louie, maybe?

"Man, for a great hero, you sure are impatient," joked the pilot. "Not by a long shot."

"Okay." Sora resumed gaping at the fascinating shapes outside. Outside looked so peaceful, like the worlds must have been before they were ravaged by Heartless. _And Nobodies too._ The Heartless ships attacked on sight, firing whatever artillery they had. The Nobody ships were sneakier, harder to hit targets; they didn't fire so haphazardly. Both factions were bad, Sora told himself. So what if he fought more Heartless than Nobodies?

"Hey, Kairi?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think it really is Maleficent?"

"Of course."

"Who else could it be?" stated Riku. He looked up from his textbook. "Only someone like her could pull this off."

"Maybe, but why would Maleficent not send herself into my dreams?" Sora stopped looking out the window and sank deep into his seat. "Why a strange man?"

"To throw you off." Riku sounded very sure of himself as he snapped the textbook shut. "It'll be too obvious if she sends herself or Pete."

"Are you sure? Maleficent doesn't really like to disguise her acts." The witch always took pride in her accomplishments, whether they were conquering worlds, corrupting Riku, or even aiding Sora against Organization XIII. Why would she disguise her accomplishments now? Disguising her handiwork seemed out of character. Even when she conquered Hallow Bastion, she remodeled it; there were vines everywhere. When she tried to conquer Disney Castle, she remodeled the Hall of the Cornerstone; there were vines there too. So far, Sora's dreams featured no vines or green fire.

Riku frowned in agreement. "Actually, you have a point. But who else has the power to influence dreams? I can't think of anyone but her," he said resignedly.

Kairi took Sora's right hand and reassured it with a quick squeeze. "Don't worry, Sora," she told him. "Like Riku said, the King will know what to do."

Sora squeezed back and smiled, an uncharacteristically shy simile. _Everything's going to be all right_, he told himself. They can tell his problem to King Mickey, and from the mouse get a solution. _Simple as that._ And even if Maleficent wasn't behind his dreams, she was still at large; they have to tell the King about that too. _The King knows what to do about that, too. Simple as that. I won't let dreams or Maleficent ruin my day! We're supposed to enjoy ourselves today. And we will. This I promise. _

Ten minutes later, Sorra had no worries in his brain as he leaped out of the landed gummi ship like a skydiver out of an airplane. He landed on his feet like a squirrel and took off running. "Donald! Goofy!" he cried to two figures up head.

"Sora!"

"Hiya, Sora! We missed you, a-hyuck!"

Donald Duck launched himself at the boy and held on by means of a hug. Goofy joined in and nearly crushed Sora and Donald in a triple hug. Behind them, Riku and Kairi laughed and waved from the ship. "Hi yourself, Goofy!" teased the brunet.

"I see you've met my son Max!" said the knight as he released his two friends and saw Riku, Kairi, and the pilot exiting the gummi ship in a proper fashion. "He's a chip off the ol' block, isn't he?"

"Dad ... " Max protested weakly.

Sora's eyes became fried eyes with blue yolks instead of yellow. "Max's your _son_!?"

Kairi giggled, "I thought as much." Riku looked at the pilot, then at the Captain of the Guard, and nodded in agreement. The resemblance made sense now.

"Wow..." breathed Sora. So that was why Max resembled a younger, scruffier version of Goofy! He never would have guessed; Goofy never once mentioned a son during their travels. By contrast, Donald talked about his nephews all the time. No matter; more pressing matters pressed onto his mind: "Where's the King?"

"Awww. His Majesty's busy helping Queen Minnie get the banquet ready," admitted Donald. The three teens drooped.

"In the meantime, how about a tour of the castle?" volunteered Goofy. The three teens brightened at that.

"Can we see the King after we're done with the castle?" asked Riku.

"Actually … umm." Donald looked doubtful, then offered a substitute. "Of course, you can see the King at the banquet."

"Okay. Can we see the town, after we're done with the tour?" asked Sora. Earlier, while the ship was still high in the atmosphere, he had caught a glimpse of a homely town surrounding Disney Castle. Its humble red roofs invited visitation.

"Sure!" agreed Goofy.

"Be sure to wear these if you go," said Donald as he gave the three young visitors VIP badges. "They let the townspeople give you discounts!"

The three thanked the duck and immediately fashioned the round buttons on their own clothes. "I guess our worries will have to wait until after the banquet," whispered Kairi as she helped Sora with his badge.

Sora didn't seem upset at all. He chirped, "Okay, let's wait! We can just enjoy ourselves right now. It's not like I can fall asleep during the day."

* * *

The town beyond the castle walls was also in the throes of anniversary preparation and celebration. Townsfolk busied themselves preparing costumes, floats, and cakes. Others enjoyed themselves by dancing in the streets and sampling vendor snacks and games. Special teams went over the streets with soap and water and special machines. The streets must be clean! The big upcoming attraction must be perfect! 

"So, what is this big upcoming attraction?" asked a visitor at a cop who was shooing away some kids from a pink and white float.

"The Main Street Electrical Parade, of course!" answered Constable O'Hara in a slight Irish accent. He was a big and able-bodied, as fat and squat as his questioner was thin and tall.

"Electrical?"

"You have to see it to believe it!" The officer gestured towards several floats stationed away. They did not seem like much now, just rough wirework and curved mesh screens on wheels, strewn all over with Christmas lights. The lights came in all colors, shapes, and sizes. Beyond, some streets were already marked off, indicating the parade path. The floats rested at the entrance.

"I see," realized the visitor. "The parade is at night, and the floats light up. Electrical lights. That means…" He looked square at the officer's jowly face. "Is this before or after the royal banquet? I know the banquet is at night."

"Why'd you ask?" puzzled Constable O'Hara. It was a strange question indeed, for the royal banquet was solely for the King, his court, and a select few guests. Rumor has it that a legendary hero was among the guests! And a princess! Was this man among the guests? Was this man the hero, magically disguised? Oooooh...

"I'd hate to miss this parade," explained the visitor. He eyed a large round float in the shape of a giant pumpkin some distance behind O'Hara. "It seems most ... exciting." He was going to say _flammable_. "It's not during the royal banquet, is it? I have errands during then."

"Trust me, you haven't. And don't worry, it's before! It's right before the banquet, though. You might have to miss the end if you're in a hurry – hey you brats! No messing with the lights!" Seamlessly, Constable O'Hara took off to chase off a couple of snotty urchins about to unscrew some light bulbs off the round float for themselves. Now there was a dedicated policeman!

The visitor gazed at the floats for a while, then readjusted the white hat on his head and left. He took off in a random direction; he had time to kill for now. But as he walked, merchandise was hawked at him from hopeful vendors from all angles. He buried his hands in his pockets and hurried on, hoping to send out signals of poverty. It worked for a while, until a fistful of roses was quite literally shoved in his face.

"Anniversary roses! Planted to commemorate the Anniversary Celebration! They were planted exactly one year ago, during the last celebration!" exclaimed the person who shoved the roses, a young flower girl. Flower duck: a white duckling hawking roses as pink as her bow, to be exact.

"I'm not really interested," said the annoyed visitor.

"But they're so beautiful! And fragrant!" said the duckling, whose name was Webbigail (it said so on a big button on her shirt). "Even if you can't smell them, can't you see them, mister? Can't you see how pretty they are?"

Indeed, they were breathtakingly beautiful. Ruby red, they gave off a sweet but fresh aroma. The sight and smell of her roses would have melted any heart. But the visitor was not affected. "I see and smell just fine," he replied curtly. "I'm just not interested in roses for the moment."

Without another word, he turned his heel and walked away very fast, leaving behind a disappointed Webbigail. The visitor walked several paces before halting and looking over his shoulder. The young duckling was now advertising her flowers to Constable O'Hara. The Irishman whooped in delight as he saw and smelled her maudlin offering. The visitor saw that he bought two roses. _One for his wife, one for himself_, he surmised.

"What kitsch ..." the visitor quietly snorted. Averting his gaze from them, the visitor went forth with a purpose, faster this time. No one noticed that he was walking in the direction of Disney Castle.

* * *

The tour was given by Max, not Goofy, because the Captain of the Royal Guard had several important duties to run. Sora couldn't blame him; one did not become Captain of the Royal Guard by not being busy! Ditto for the Court Magican. Would they would be together as often in the future, now that they were no longer under orders to accompany him to various worlds? 

Thankfully, Max proved to be an viable (if inexperienced) tour guide. In this manner he resembled his father - more competent than appearances allow. The young guide recited, "Disney Castle was named for Walt Elias Disney, a man who helped the King in his youth..They met on a train, where the King told him about his then - current problems. They forged a friendship right then and there. Walt purchased the land the castle was built on."

The four strolled through a long hall full of armors. The iron suits were in strange and deformed proportions, with four fingered gauntlets and oversized plumes. Next stop was a bathroom, which housed a tub large enough to be a swimming pool. "Is Walt here? I'd like to meet him," declared Sora out of the blue.

"Actually ... Walt passed away a long time ago. Before my time," Max said sheepishly. "The Anniversary Celebration is held in his memory."

"Oh."

_How did he d - never mind._ When he, Donald, and Goofy visited Timeless River, Sor remembered, it seemed to be a really, really long time in the past. Sora wondered how Mickey Mouse got his hands on the Cornerstone. _Did Walt help?_ In the meantime, the trio marveled at the rooms and halls.

Sora greatly enjoyed everything. The last time he visited Disney Castle was during a siege, so the boy never got to explore the place all that thoroughly; he visited the garage, the courtyard, the library, the audience chamber, the Hall of the Cornerstone ... and that was it. Much of the castle was still foreign to him. An exclusive guided tour was just what the king ordered. Sora proudly fingered the VIP badge pined on his shirt. "I've been here before," he cheekily whispered to Kairi as they entered the next exhibit.

"This is the audience chamber. Most folks all it the throne room," Max said as he led the three humans into the big marble hall. Now that it was not packed with giant queen-threatening Heartless, Sora marveled at how huge it really was. Various castle staff bustled about putting up decorations, arranging tables and chairs, and putting silk-white tablecloths on the long wooden tables. Sora recognized two of them, Horace Horsecollar and Clara Cluck.

He was about to yell hello to Horace and Clara - Would they recognize him? - when Max added, "Here's where the banquet is going to be held tonight."

"Wow!" the trio breathed.

"Normally the banquet isn't held here. Since the guest of honor tonight is Sora, we want to it be extra special. As in, more special than last year."

"That's wonderful!" beamed Kairi.

"Way to go, Sora!" cheered Riku.

"Aww ... geez!" smiled Sora.

"Um ... whoops!" yelped Max; right then he really resembled Goofy. "Don't tell folks I told you that. It's supposed to be secret."

"We promise," the trio vowed.

"Do you want to see the library?" the guide interjected quickly.

"Yes!" the trio replied. And off they went.

They passed through many brooms busy at work; silent, they swept floors just by walking and wiped ornaments with stick-like hands. Ignoring them, Sora looked at the bright sky to his left, decked with white cotton clouds. _It's always cheerful here_, he thought, _thanks to the Cornerstone_.

"Here's the library," explained Max as he lead the trio into the royal library. "It contains the second largest collection of volumes on this world,"

"What's the first?" asked Kairi.

"Scrooge McDuck's personal library at his mansion. He calls it the Carl Barks Library. But it consists mostly of vintage comic books."

"Ooooooh," the trio wondered. Unlike the rest of the castle, the Royal Library was unoccupied and undecorated. The large white room was the same as the last time Sora visited. Every book was in its place, every volume accounted for. Since there was nothing more to see, the four continued their tour.

Kairi took one last look at the room before they left. "Did I see someone there?" she wondered, but it was only Pluto dozing on the floor.

The tour ended far from where it began. It began in the gummi garage, a humble back door to Disney Castle. By contrast, it ended at the moat, a grand front gate to Disney Castle. Inspiring but not imposing, it loomed like a gentle parent above teaming red cottages that were its children.

"The Main Street Electrical Parade passes right through here, Main Street," explained Max as he pointed to a broad avenue that lead directly to Disney Castle (were not for a fair - sized moat). The tiny shops made everything seem to be in the past. "Everyone says Disney Castle has the best view of the parade. So … you're all going to get a great view tonight!"

"Tonight?" asked Riku, startled.

"Electrical Parade? What's that?" asked Kairi, curious.

"Is this before or after the banquet?" asked Sora, hungry.

"The Main Street Electrical Parade is the highlight of the Anniversary Celebration," said Max, proud. He went on about its origin (a last minute substitute for another parade that fell through at the last minute) and history (its creators weren't too delighted with its haphazard origin, but everyone else loved it, and so it stayed) …

Sora found himself not paying much attention. Before, library reminded him of the last time he visited this area - fighting Heartless as Disney Castle faced temporal trouble. Thoughts about Maleficent surged forth like water out of a faucet. Maleficent was still alive and at large. Maleficent might strike here for her revenge -

_No, of course not. _

The faucet shut, and Sora nearly laughed at himself for being so foolish. What was he thinking? What about Cornerstone under the audience chamber? Sora inwardly scolded himself for forgetting its powers; Maleficent cannot ruin this festival, yet alone go anywhere near Disney Castle. No enemy can strike Disney Castle thanks to the Cornerstone, which guarded against Darkness and creatures of Darkness. The festival was safe. Kairi was right, they really can enjoy themselves all day today. And they shall.

"And that's why the parade will never be replaced," finished Max. "Because we did once, and it was a complete disaster! Light Magic, smagic!"

Kairi raised her hand as though as in class. "Excuse me? How big was the disaster?"

"So big, even talk of it is disallowed. Everything is been swept under the rug." Max looked around in slight alarm. "Um ... you never heard of Light Magic! Nope! I never said what I just said a while ago!"

"Not from you, at any rate," agreed Riku. The other two teenagers nodded conspiratorially.

* * *

After the tour, the trio were given free reign. The boys went off their own way into town, while Kairi headed to the Royal Library She was eager to see what unique books resided there. After such a long tour, a quick rest in a quiet room was welcome in her mind. Also, she was sure she saw someone in the library before. It couldn't just be Pluto dozing on the floor. 

"Hello? Anyone here?" asked the redhead as she stepped into the library. No answer, not even from Pluto. The hound was gone. probably gone off to find his master or something. Kairi sighed; she was hoping to see Pluto again; the dog liked her a lot. "Anyone at all?" she asked again, softer this time.

She shrugged. Guess her eyes were wrong; the library was empty after all. She took out a notebook and pencil, sat down at the table, and began to draw.

Drawing was a lifelong hobby of hers. Since she was little, she drew. As a child, she drew whenever possible. Then one day she saw some sketches by some kids her age at school (The same age!) and was shamed by how much better their stuff was. No matter how good she was, she realized, she would never be good enough (Enough for what? She never asked.). She gradually became too shy to display her artwork to others, forbidding them the sight of other eyes, even those of her best friends. She continued to draw at night, in secret, her artworks becoming the equivalent of diaries - not to be seen by anyone else.

Nobodies and their Others are like mirror images of each other ... reverse mirror images, that is. Whereas Kairi was outgoing and perky but hesitant to draw in public, Naminé was shy and withdrawn but not afraid to draw in public. Not surprisingly, her witch-like powers centered on her art skills. Kairi found this not too strange; as she never stopped drawing, she was a fairly good artist now. When Naminé merged with her, Kairi inherited her willingness to draw in public.

Kairi took one last look around - yes, she is alone - before opening her sketchbook. Out of the corner of her eye, the redhead saw someone standing near a shelf. Shocked, she whirled around. The person was gone, like he was never there. He? Yes, she was sure it was a male. _It's all in my mind_, she concluded. She got an idea; she would try to sketch down what she saw in her mind. _Let's see … white shoulder-length hair, red eyes, and ... ignorance. Wait, ignorance? Oh, right._ In her mind's eye, that was the title of the book the man was holding in his hand; probably a philosophical tome on the nature of ignorance vs. knowing.

How wrong she was. Ignorance was no nonfiction book; it was a novel by one of her friend's favorite authors, but she didn't know that. Her classmate adored that author because his father did the same ... like father, like son?

Later, Riku came in and asked Kairi whether the Royal Library housed any books which housed advice on getting ahead in school. The redhead scolded him for not having fun and ordered him to have fun with Sora.

* * *

Fireworks exploded in the night sky. No one heard them, for everyone was in the audience chamber, now dining hall. They would explode all night, so Sora was in no hurry to finish his meal. He could go outside later, take a stroll around castle walls. He was rather full from eating. 

"A toast!" suddenly cheered King Mickey. The small king held a mug of milk in his raised right hand. "A toast … to our guest of honor, the Keyblade Master, Sora!"

In return, Sora did his best to act surprised and delighted. He gasped and raised his hands to his mouth. He wondered if he overdid it. He grinned in the direction of Max, seated next to his father.

"To Sora!" cheered everyone. Everyone raised his or her mug or glass of milk or juice or miscellaneous drink, except for Sora. _CLANK!_ went various glasses. The guest of honor grinned bashfully. He thought about raising his mug too. _I fulfilled my promise_, he thought happily. _I didn't let worries about Maleficent or my dreams ruin my day. _Those matters can wait until after the banquet.

_Today is the happiest day of my life_, he thought. The tour was excellent. The castle staff was enlightening (The Anniversary Celebration was closed to outsiders, they said. Sora and his friends were excerpted as they were personal friends of the King. Next year, Mickey ought to invite Leon and the people at Radiant Garden!). The Main Street Electrical Parade was the second greatest sight to invade his eyes (The first was the sight of Kairi on the beach when he and Riku returned to Destiny Islands, of course.); he had stood speechless for two hours as lighted float after lighted float passed by him and his two friends as electronic music played. He hoped Riku or Kairi took pictures.

"Speech!" suddenly squawked Donald Duck. He appeared to be drunk on vanilla milkshakes

"Speech!" echoed Goofy next to Donald. He definitely was drunk on chocolate mousse.

"Speech!" mimicked everyone around the able.

So! Sora now had to give a speech. The brown-haired boy nervously stood up and set his mug down on the table. He focused his eyes on King Mickey, who nodded in encouragement.

"Okay, speech. Um ... first of all, I would like to thank Your Majesty for inviting us here," began Sora. He kept his gaze on Mickey, whose warm simile was a charm against stage fright. "Kairi and Riku and me, I mean. I heard the Anniversary Celebration was for Disney Castle people only, so to make an exception for us ... I'm - I mean, we - we're all very touched. Thanks."

Applause happened, but Sora felt stage fright increase within him nonetheless. He kept his eyes on the king. "This year is different," the brunet suddenly announced. Bravely he took up his mug. "Today … we celebrate not just Disney Castle, but the end of the War against Darkness. A war that lasted ten years and changed many lives … it's funny. If it weren't for the war, I would never have met Kairi. I'd like to thank Kairi, and Riku too, for everything good that happened last year ... no, all my life."

He sat back down, fighting nervousness. No, it wasn't stage fright. Something else, but what? Something more foreboding. He looked at the king again, trying to figure out the source of his rising tension.

"To Riku!" said King Mickey, who raised his mug high.

"To Kairi!" said Queen Minnie, who mimicked His Majesty. _CLANK!_ went the glasses.

"Also," added Sora, "I want to say some - OH MY GOD! YOUR MAJESTY, GET DOWN!" He leapt on the table and dashed madly towards the king. There were confused shouts, sounds of crashing plates, and a very loud _BANG_.

Real life mimicked a dream. In his dreams he remembered a gutted waste bin. In real life, he knew he succeed in saving the king. By summoning his Keyblade and leaping in front of the shocked king - just in time - Sora split the bullet in two. One half made a hole on the perfect white floor. Where did the other half go? Luckily not through some unfortunate person!

Sora gasped in ragged deep breaths. He knew just who fired what. "Your Majesty! There, behind the curtain!" he yelled, pointing.

Sure enough, someone was positioned behind the red and black curtain. Tall and lean, the would-be assassin wore a white suit and a white hat that partially covered his grayish blue hair. His green eyes narrowed as he saw that his assassination attempt had failed. The Keyblade Master recognized him at once.

"You!" snared Sora. "I told you to leave my dreams!"

"I'm not in your dreams," came Jasper's calm answer. _It's true_, Sora realized in horror. Now the man had invaded real life.


	10. Chapter 9

"Watch out, Your Majesty!" Sora cried to King Mickey. "He's a Nobody!"

"So?" retorted the man as he - oh no, **move**, Sora! Whew! Jasper was quick, but Sora was quicker; the teen tackled the adult before the latter could fire again. Nice distraction with words, Jasper, but it wasn't enough to divert the Keyblade Hero. Hero and villain tumbled onto the floor, drawing gasps and panicked fleeing from some of the guests. Sora immediately got up and swerved to one side, intent on attacking with the Keyblade while the man was down.

"Run, Your Highness!" Sora commanded. "He wants to kill you!"

But the king did not obey. Like a curious child, the mouse peeked from behind his throne; he stared ahead blankly. Kairi yelled in fright and Riku yelled something to Goofy and Donald about protecting Mickey at all costs. "The Keyblade ... ?" Mickey wondered in stupor as Minnie dragged him off to safety, to Goofy's outstretched paws.

"Come back!" raged Jasper as King Mickey was being carried away by his top knight. "Come back at once!" Immediately the man sprang up and lunged at Sora, causing the teen to involuntarily shut his eyes and swing his blade wildly. It was a feint: Sora opened his eyes to see Jasper aiming his gun at the mouse. So he cast Blizzaga as fast as he could, saving His Majesty's life once again. Then he rushed in with his weapon, smacking the gun away from Jasper's hand with the Keyblade.

"The King's not coming back," Sora cried. "You'll have to get through me first!"

"Fine," Jasper spat back, echoing recent dreams as he pulled out_ another_ gun from his coat.

Hero and villain charged at one another. The hero got in some blows with the Keyblade, but further efforts were aborted by a sudden loud noise, a gush of wind, and the appearance of two holes in his left pant leg. _He nearly shot me_, he realized. _I could have been crippled._ In shock, Sora stumbled, but righted himself before he fell. Looking up, Sora saw no one. The Nobody had retreated (or teleported) behind him, forcing Sora to turn around.

"You! I thought you existed only in my dreams!" accused the boy, point at the man with his Keyblade. His opponent sidestepped the spell.

"You thought wrong!" Sora heard him taunt as the latter turned tail and ran.

"Hey! Stop existing in real life!" cried Sora as he gave chase.

Cat and mouse chase time! Except this time, the mouse chased the cat. The mouse-brown haired boy closed in and slapped Russian-blue haired man upside the head once, twice, then leaped back to avoid death by firearm. Just in time - **BANG!** A pitcher of milk shattered, splattering its contents like white blood. _BANG!_ A plate of meat loaf exploded. Still the man ran.

"Give up! His Majesty's lgone!" screamed Sora. He was quite angry at this point.

Meanwhile, Kairi stood frozen as other guests wisely left (screaming incoherently and waving their hands, but wisely nonetheless). She couldn't take her eyes off Sora or his attacker; her violet eyes darted everywhere, following their erratic movements. She knew this man! She saw him before, but in her half-frenzied mind, she couldn't remember when or where or why. She didn't like what the man was doing to Sora, enraging him to un - Soralike levels. She hardly registered Riku grabbing her wrist and telling her to run, just run, run for your life, please Kairi - wah! Isn't that the Organization logo?

"You're right. The king's long gone - GAH!!" declared Jasper as particularly forceful slash sent him reeling.

"Sora!" shouted Kairi.

The would-be assassin recovered and weaved backwards from more assaults, but like he said, it was too late. The blue-haired man looked at his assailant, at a frightened young girl standing at the table, and finally at the ruined dishes. At least he ruined a festive feast. He threw away his gun.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" demanded Sora. He wasn't fooled by the recent surrender. Chances are, the man had a _third_ gun hidden under his suit somewhere. Jasper gazed at him levelly, but never got to answer, for Sora answered for him: "You came here to kill King Mickey. You want him dead. Why?"

"Sora!" shouted Kairi.

Jasper paused. "Organization XIII…" he began.

"I knew it! You are part of Organization XIII - huh?" Sora froze in mid-sentence. He was right about the gun. Jasper carried a third gun on his person ... and was aiming it right at Sora's heart. But Sora never saw him reach under his coat. Was that why Kairi shouted twice? _Where did the gun come from?_ The boy prepared to strike furtively with his Keyblade -

Then Jasper pointed up and fired inches from the brunet's head, causing Sora and duck down and jam his hands in his ears, dropping his weapon. Too late, he realized it was a mistake. He felt the barrel of a revolver on the top of his head, and froze.

"Whose fault is it, that Organization XIII is dead?" whispered the gunman.

Heavy sorrow crashed over the young hero. He was going to die from a mere bullet. Countless battles with supernatural monsters and underhanded sorceresses, and he was going to die from one projectile? He deserved it too, for not being cautious enough - ... no, that was not it. For what happened to Demyx and Luxord ... for killing them before they had the chance to change back into Myde and Rould. Guilt from long ago returned as he recalled Rufaus' good - intentioned but badly executed interview. _The guy only wanted to know about his mom and dad. His dad … the guy in front of me._

"I'm sorry," he found himself whispering. Whoa, what the heck?

"Sorry isn't good enough," came the answer.

Sora heard Kairi yell his name once more, more desperately this time, and waited for the end. But it never came. Sora hesitantly opened his eyes and raised his head. He found Jasper retreating at the sight of a duck bearing a staff, a dog bearing a shield, and his best friend bearing a short sword (Wait, no Way to the Dawn?). "Don't come any closer!" snarled Donald. "Drop the gun!"

The gunman obeyed, the continued to back up until his back hit the wall. The three friends crowded in closer, displaying their weapons like guard dogs bearing their teeth. "Sora, you okay?" asked Goofy as he tossed him a potion. The boy nodded.

"Sora called you a Nobody. I saw the Organization logo on your back. Are you?" questioned Riku, his blade drawn.

"Am I what?" quietly asked Jasper.

"Part of Organization XIII," said Riku, his eyes narrowing.

"Sora called him a Nobody! Of course he's from Organization XIII!" warned Donald. Riku and Goofy jumped back a bit. Nobodies were tricky beasts, they remembered.

Jasper shook his head. "No, Organization XIII is fallen. How can I work for a defunct organization?" he countered. Good point. The four warriors eyed him cautiously, nonetheless.

"If you're not working for Organization XIII, who are you working for?" questioned Riku. "Or are you working solo?"

No answer came from Jasper, so Sora answered for him: "He's working for someone else. Another Nobody. What's the name of your employer, Jasper Reddison?" Sora wondered if using the man's full name would give him power over him, as it did in the dream. Nope, hhe man stayed silent. He just stared at Riku, then at Sora, his mouth curling down slightly.

"Answer us!" demanded Donald Duck, readying his staff to - **BANG!** The duck squawked in pain as the Nobody suddenly fired at his hand, forcing him to drop this staff.

_I thought he dropped his gun!_ thought Sora. But the gun was not on the floor. Was the gun ever on the floor? "Donald!" cried Goofy. He gave out another potion.

"I shall return," declared the man as he raised his hat in a mock salute. "Tell this to your king: I am not done here yet!" Then he was gone; he teleported away. He didn't teleport away like an Organization member. He teleported away like a Dusk, vanishing in a sphere of nothingness.

"He teleported," mused Goofy. "He's a Nobody, alright! But I don't get it. If he's a human-shaped Nobody, how come he's not in one of 'em black cloaks? Oh yeah." He gave Sora a kind simile. "The King's all right. He's waiting for you at the library. Said he had a question for ya."

"Okay, tell him we'll be there at once."

Gently picking up a frazzled Donald ("I'm fine! I'm not hurt anymore! I took yer medicine! Put me down, you big doof!"), the Captain of the Royal Guard exited the audience chamber, leaving behind a ruined banquet and three confused friends. "Sora ... that guy," murmured Kairi as she came to his side. The brunet relaxed at the sight of the redhead. "Who is he?" she wondered. "How did he ... I mean, how do you know his name? Jasper Reddison…"

"Reddison?" wondered Riku. He turned shocked aquamarine eyes to Sora. "_Reddison?_ As in ... Rufaus?"

"Not really," asserted Sora. He opened Goofy's potion. "He's not Jasper Reddison. He's Jasper Reddison's _Nobody_. He's the guy in my dreams."

* * *

"He calls himself Jasper Reddison, but he's really the Nobody of someone named Jasper Reddison. The real Jasper was the dad of one of my classmates at school," began Sora. "He haunted my dreams for a week a while ago. I managed to force him out. I thought he was gone forever ... guess not." 

"No wonder he looked familiar," realized Kairi. So, she had seen him before ... his Other's likeness, at least, on a bedside picture when she last visited Rufaus' apartment. "He looks a lot like Rufaus."

"Was he really part of Organization XIII?" pondered Donald. "I thought we've seen all thirteen members in Jiminy's journal."

"Let's see: Xemnas, Xigar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Saix ... " counted Goofy, but the mage waved him off.

"Never mind," said Sora. Thinking about Organization XIII made him uncomfortable; delaying its discussion seemed ideal. Besides ... "You said you have a question for me, Your Majesty?"

"Uh huh!" nodded the small king. Mickey hopped off his comfy hair from behind the table and walked up to the brunet. "Summon the Keyblade, please," the king commanded.

"Sure." The brunet closed his eyes and concentrated on his heart. A quick flash of light, and lo! The Keyblade was in Sora's outstretched right hand, as usual.

However, King Mickey didn't seem too happy about that. "Uh oh!" he noted.

"Uh oh?" a puzzled Sora mimicked. Now he noticed that Riku didn't seem too happy either. The older teen looked worried, in fact.

"Yep. I oughta explain. Y'see…" The mouse walked around Sora, inspecting his weapon closely. "The Keyblade appears only in times of great need, to fight the Heartless. When peace is restored, it goes away to ... well, hard to really say. But if you still have the Keyblade, then that means your work as Keyblade Master's not done yet."

"Not done?!" Sora was aghast. "But I restored the worlds! I locked Kingdom Hearts! I defeated Xehanort's Heartless and Xemnas and ... oh no!" He nearly dropped the Keyblade in horrified realization. "Maleficent!"

_I shall have my revenge on you yet!_

"We wanted to talk to you about Maleficent earlier, your Majesty," said Riku quickly. "We didn't because we didn't want to interrupt the Anniversary Celebration. We ... we're sorry. We should have told you at once." _The banquet was ruined_, he thought sadly, _because we waited_.

"Maleficent?" inquired the King. The way he said it, one would think that he never heard of the witch before.

"Don't you remember, Your Highness?" added Kairi. "Maleficent's still alive. Last time we saw them, she and Pete were claiming Organization XIII's castle as their own." Nearby, Donald and Goofy looked at each other and nodded. They remembered her last words: _Sora! "Your Majesty"! Do not forget - when I've destroyed them all, this castle shall be mine!_

Mickey nodded too. "I remember, but here's the thing. Our spies got nuthin' on Maleficent or Pete at all, even up 'til now. They could be dead for all we know." The king looked at Kairi as Sora dismissed his Keyblade. "Trust us, we try our best. Our spies report nothin'. Still, you may be right."

"Right! I still have the Keyblade because I still have to take care of Maleficent!" said Sora with conviction. He looked at Donald and Goofy. "You guys ready for another adventure?"

The mage and knight were about to reply with bravado when Kairi interjected, "Whoa, what about school?"

"Oh, right." Sora was sheepish. The mage and knight deflated. _Good point. Duty calls ... duty to school._

"And what if it's not Maleficent?" interjected Kairi. She opened her notebook and involuntarily added some details to a sketch. "What if ... what if it's the man from Sora's dream?"

"That man is proof that Nobodies are still out there, if the Heartless aren't," said Riku. "Maybe now Sora has to defeat the Nobodies, now that he's defeated the Heartless."

"That may just be it, Riku! Speaking of Nobodies, back to more pressing business," stated King Mickey. The King went back to his chair and from his vantage point, peered at Sora curiously. "Back to this ... Jasper Reddison. So, he's the Nobody of the dad of one of your friends, huh? Must be hard on your friend."

"Rufaus doesn't know," Sora said quietly. He admired the king right then and there. For someone who just survived an assassination attempt, Mickey was calm. Who else could be calm as he desired information about his own would-be assassination? _This is why Mickey Mouse is king of Disney Castle_, he supposed.

"How'd ya know he's a Nobody?" asked Mickey.

"We saw him teleport away using a dark corridor. Only Nobodies do that," said Kairi. She looked at her sketch. It was the same sketch she begun this afternoon in this same library.

"Also, the Organization emblem on his back," included Riku. "That's kinda obvious."

"I see," realized the king. "Hmmm..."

"Why would he want to kill you, Your Majesty?" asked Donald. "And do you really think he's part of Organization XIII?"

If anyone knew anything about any subject, it was King Mickey. But the king shrugged in ignorance. "I dunno ... I'm sorry fellas," he confessed. "I don't know any more about Organization XIII than you. The only person who really knew about Organization XIII would be Ansem the Wise, and he's gone." Mickey Mouse bowed his head in memory of his late philosopher friend.

"That's it!" Riku fairly shouted as he clapped his hands in enlightenment. "That's why the man tried to kill you! Jasper wants to kill you in revenge for Organization XIII!" At that, everyone looked at the silver-haired teenager.

King Mickey's eyes widened in surprise; "You really think so?"

"I don't get it," said Goofy. "King Mickey had nothing to do wit' that."

"Whoever hired Jasper, you mean," interrupted Sora.

"Huh?"

"King Mickey has nothing to do with the fall of Organization XIII. It was Ansem the Wise. The fall was his entire doing," explained the brunet in a low voice. Everyone turned their gaze on the fifteen year old as he related his theories ... in a slightly out of character manner. "Ansem is gone. Whoever wants revenge on Ansem can't reach him, he's dead. But you're alive, King Mickey. And you were his close friend. So ... you're his substitute." He recalled the gunman's words: _Whose fault is it, that Organization XIII is dead?_

Donald shuddered. "No way ... !"

"Whoever hired Jasper?" mimicked Mickey.

"Yeah. He said something about an employer. In my dreams, I mean," concluded Sora.

"Somebody, or some Nobody, wants revenge on King Mickey for his part in the fall of the Organization, or in lieu of Ansem of Wise. He hired another Nobody named Jasper Reddison to do the job," murmured Kairi, summarizing Sora's arguments quite well. The redhead looked at the brunet in slight worry.

Restful silence hung around for a while. Then Riku continued, "What is the connection between Jasper and Organization XIII? Was he a member?"

"Jasper isn't part of Organization XIII. Organization XIII had thirteen members. We knew them all. Jasper _worked_ for Organization XIII. Like he's working for ... someone else now. That's different," said Sora out of the blue. In the same, earlier slightly out of character voice.

"Huh?" wondered Riku.

"Like an underling?" guessed Goofy.

"Or an independent agent," guessed Donald.

"He's right, you know," said Mickey. "You mentioned the Organization logo. But it's not specific to Organization XIII. It's the symbols for Nobodies in general. Like the Heartless emblem, kinda."

"Independent Nobodies?" wondered Kairi. Then she understood. She was one, once. Part of her. That part of her was kidnapped and forced to do an Organization member's bidding, against her will.

"Really?" asked Donald. Then he remembered. When they tried to access Ansem the Wise's computer, the white logo appeared after they searched for information on Nobodies, not Organization XIII.

"Jasper was in your dreams for a whole week?" inquired Goofy. He positioned himself behind the King's chair. "Why, Sora?"

The brunet lowered his head and noted, "He wanted revenge on me too. But I forced him out. Now he's after King Mickey instead." The others nodded in agreement; that made total sense. DiZ was the one who desired revenge on Organization XIII, but Sora was the one who executed it. After all, he felled more than half its members, including the Superior.

"My…" murmured Queen Minnie. It was the first thing the Queen said all night. She was in the library all along. She went to her king's side and held his hand.

"That's horrible!" squawked Donald as he raised his hands to his beak. "You could have died in your sleep!"

"Is that true?" gasped Kairi as she looked up from her drawing. "He tried to kill you?" Kairi gazed at the now finished sketch of the imaginary visitor in her library. It wasn't Jasper. Jasper had bluish grey hair (of a similar shade to Rufaus') and green eyes, and wore a white suit. The man in her drawing had white hair and red eyes, and wore grey robes. Could he be Jasper's employer?

Thoughts of last week's dreams, of his clothes and voice changing, made Sora uneasy. Thoughts of this morning's dream came back to him, too. Sora tried to change the subject, hugging his jacket as he said, "No, I mean ... yes. In a sense. Shouldn't we be worried about the King? Jasper's after him now! What should we do?" He concentrated on making his clothes retain their present form.

Out of nowhere, King Mickey yawned and said, "We ought to get ready for bed.

Everyone looked at him oddly. "What?" muttered Minnie.

"It's late, and we need to rest after what happened tonight. We can talk all about this tomorrow." explained the king. "How does spending the night at Disney Castle sound?"

Sora nodded eagerly; Riku nodded once; Kairi looked hesitant, then nodded gingerly and closed her notebook. Excuses for parents and friends would have to wait, when life and death matters are so prevalent right now. What excuse could clear them of **two** absent days? _We camped in the woods for the weekend, see ... _

"Okay! I'll tell the staff to prepare the guest bedrooms!" announced Donald, and the Court Wizard was off.

"But what if this Reddison guy tries to off ya in yer sleep?" asked a worried Goofy.

"Guards, of course. Your men up for an all-night shift?" answered a confident Mickey.

"'Course, Your Majesty!" announced the dog, and the Captain of the Royal Guard was off.

"Jasper might try to get you in your dreams. Watch out, Your Highness. He's a professional assassin, the best of his kind!" warned Sora.

"I'll have my guards wake me up if it looks like I'm in trouble. G'nite!" assured the King. At his side, the Queen nodded. Together, king and queen left.

Riku shook his head and murmured. "Figures. They hit the hay as soon as the sun goes down. Good thing we're putting it off until tomorrow, I'm pooped from dinner," He yawned himself, no longer worried if the king wasn't worried. "So ... revenge, huh? Against Ansem the Wise?" Riku blinked his aquamarine eyes. "Why? I thought the thing between him and the Nobodies was over."

"Ansem the Wise," murmured Kairi. "I remember him, a bit. From when I was little. At Radiant Garden."

"I miss him," said Riku.

"I hate him," said Sora.

The other two teenagers looked at him in shock. Sora, meanwhile, was looking at his tongue in shock. Did he just say that? Was it him who really said that? He hardly knew the philosopher–king! He only saw Ansem the Wise once, before the elder man sacrificed himself in a blinding explosion. How can he hate someone he just met? Yet ... the sickening hatred he felt right now was very real.

_I hate you so much ..._

* * *

Sora lay down limply on his four poster bed. _How did I know Jasper worked for Organization XIII? How did I know Jasper was a professional assassin and not just some nut job with a gun?_ He just … knew. And not from his dreams, strangely enough. How could he hate Ansem the Wise so? The philosopher was a good king who helped him regain his memories. He should feel respect for the dead man! "We never got to tell King Mickey about my dreams," he lamented. 

"It was as you told us, right?" came Riku's voice from a nearby bed. "He tried to kill you, but you forced him out. And you haven't dreamed of him since."

"Kill me? Not like what you think." Sora hugged a nearby pillow. "No, Jasper wasn't trying to kill me. He was … trying to turn me into Roxas."

"Twilight Town Roxas?" Riku sounded hopeful.

"No." Sora's tone was scornful. "The other Roxas." _The actual Roxas_, he thought, _the Organization's Number Thirteen_. In the darkened room, he could almost hear Riku shudder. "But I won. I didn't turn into Roxas. I told him to get lost, and he did." Will he return? He didn't return in last night's dream, so maybe not.

"Why Organization XIII Roxas?" Riku sounded worried.

"Roxas betrayed Organization XIII, remember? He leaving it kinda started the whole thing, I guess. So ... I guess whoever hired Jasper wanted revenge on Roxas first." Sora buried his head in his nearby pillow. "Since that didn't work, he switched to King Mickey." He yawned. "I wasn't completely wrong when I said Jasper's employer wanted revenge on me, I guess." After all, he and Roxas were connected.

"As well as Jasper." Riku sounded tired.

"Right. Jasper too. I think he took this job willingly." Sora closed his eyes, intent on chasing away tonight's worries - abeit temporarily - with sleep. "Man, it's going to be weird seeing Rufaus at school next week. Too bad he's my history partner." After all, his father was a Nobody gunman out for blood. "I feel sorry for him."

"Rufaus?" Riku sounded curious.

"No, Jasper."

A pause, then ... "What?"

"Sorry, I mean Rufaus." That was a lie. "He thinks his parents died, but really they became Heartless. That's worse." Sora thought back to his impromptu trip to the library last Tuesday and shivered. "And his dad, Jasper ... I mean, Jasper's Nobody, is running around and gunning for Mickey. That's downright horrible. I wonder if ... if I should tell Rufaus?"

"No, that'll just make things complicated. Protect the world order, remember?"

"Yeah. Besides, I don't think Rufaus would take it well if I tell him his dad's a ruthless hit man."

"His Nobody, you mean."

"Good point." Sora didn't like it at all when he learned that Riku joined the wrong side - Maleficent's - during the initial conflict, one year ago. But he had to know because he was the Keyblade Hero and needed to know who his enemies were. Rufaus, on the other hand, should enjoy the bliss of ignorance.

"Goodnight, Sora." Riku sounded half - asleep.

"Goodnight ... hey, Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"Guess it wasn't Maleficent after all. Maleficent wouldn't work with Nobodies, would she?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe she's Jasper's employer."

"Riku?"

"What?" Riku sounded annoyed. He highly desired to enjoy his four poster guest bed, and here his buddy kept interrupting him with questions.

"If ... if you wake up before me ... it looks like I'm in trouble, wake me up, okay?"

Strange request, but sure. "Okay."

"Thanks," mumbled Sora into his hugged pillow as he drifted off to dreamland. Fragments of today swirled about his mind, intent on becoming parts of his dreams. He hoped not. He really hoped not. How did he know Jasper was an assassin? Why was Kairi so worried during his fight with Jasper? Why did he feel hate at the mention of Ansem the Wise? So many questions ...


	11. Chapter 10

_Kairi dreamed she was Naminé._

_She was back in Castle Oblivion, left alone in her room to draw, to create and manipulate memories. Strangely enough, no Organization members bothered her. Perhaps this was the past and they were busy holding a meeting somewhere. Or perhaps this was the present and she was all alone. Yet she continued to draw false memories of her living on Destiny Islands with Sora and his friends. Even though she was not under Marluxia's supervision. An imaginary life took shape in her sketchbook: a life where she existed as her own person, Kairi. As Kairi's friend, not Kairi's shadow. _

_This she knew by instinct: all Nobodies desire to become complete beings. But the question is this: what, exactly, is the nature of this desire? Do Nobodies desire to become their original selves again? Or would they prefer to become their own beings? Perhaps it depends on the Nobody. Most don't care either way, she supposed; after years of agonizing pseudo - existence, most would be happy to receive a heart, any heart, their own or not. _

_Naminé knew her heart was safe and sound on Destiny Islands, in Kairi, but wondered if it were possible to come back to it. After all, Destiny Islands was far away from Castle Oblivion. Worlds away. Your Somebody self has abandoned you, Marluxia had told her. You'll have to become your own Somebody. So get to work, or you'll never see the outside world again._

_Kairi, a Princess of Heart, held no darkness within her; as a result, neither did her Nobody. Most believe Nobodies to be utterly incapable of good, morality being born of the heart. She was the opposite, being born different from other Nobodies; she was utterly incapable of evil. Unfortunately, due to her lack of darkness, of nerve, she was incapable of standing up for herself or subverting Marluxia's plans. She was too passive and compliant. She got to work. _

_She looked at her sketchbook. Not all of them were of her and Sora on Destiny Islands. One was that of a man patronizing some library shelves. He had long white hair that fell in two long bangs around his face which reminded her, of all things, a loppy-eared bunny. __Ignorance__ was the name of the book he held under his left arm. The sketch was nearly complete. All she needed as a name ... Thompson? Thomas? It had to start with a Tho - she didn't know why, it just did. _

She woke up before she could decide on a name.

Kairi wasn't too disturbed by her dream as she got out of bed. Of course she dreamed about Naminé and Castle Oblivion; they discussed Nobodies last night. Of course she dreamed about her drawing of the imaginary library patron; she finished it last night. Of course she knew about Naminé 's unique nature. Sora shared the real Ansem Reports with her, once.

But what about that question about desire? She shrugged it off. That was just a dream. All Nobodies desire to become their original selves again, that she knew. Naminé and Roxas were eager to reunite with her and Sora, she remembered. Right?

* * *

_Riku dreamed he was evil._

_He was back at Hollow Bastion, back when it was still Maleficent's stronghold. He ran errands for her, kidnapping Princesses of Heart and releasing Heartless on hapless denizens. He kept her cohorts under control, breaking up verbal spats between Captain Hook and Oogie Boogie when the two got ugly. He directed Heartless as they contained the young women in glass cases. _

_At times, he would meet a strange, black - dressed man wandering about the premises. When he alerted Maleficent, the evil fairy nearly leveled the room in a fit. __**All shall learn that this is my domain, and woe be to trespassers! Bring him to me, in chains!**_

_So now Riku had to hunt him down. They would meet, they would fight, but the strange man would turn and flee before the fight reached a decisive conclusion. He sometimes wondered if the man was merely testing his strength and skill. Was he a rival to Maleficent? Did he desire total domination, like Maleficent? Did he wish to lure Riku from Maleficent? Seemed like it, with his dark outfit and cold demeanor. Maleficent tolerated no rivals. _

_But Riku could not turn from Maleficent. She had Kairi. She hung than fact over Riku like an iron ball and chain. _

_And so the search continued. For some reason, Riku wasn't dressed in his usual clothes. He was dressed in a bizarre outfit with pockets and zippers (He was dressed like Pete, but he didn't know it, stuck in the throes of his dream.). This did not bother him; dream logic was at work. In dreams, time was not linear. Past could be jumbled with present with none the wiser. _

_After wandering about several rooms that didn't exist in the actual Hallow Bastion, he met the man again. The man standing in an empty round room, as though waiting for the boy. The two fought again. _

_It was a harder than expected battle for Riku, but thanks to his newfound dark powers, he was the victor. With his powers he bound the stranger in magical chains. "Who are you? What do you want? Why are you here?" demanded Maleficent's servant. _

"_Maleficent desires control over the Heartless. How foolish is she," said the hooded figure. "She doesn't need them, not like we."_

"_There are more of you?" questioned Riku. Perhaps it was a different man he met each time. But the man faded away before Riku could ask how many more. So much for magical chains._

_Maleficent seemed to have forgotten about her command. Then next time he saw her, she gave him new tasks as though the man never existed. The dream went back to normal, so to speak. _

Then it faded into nothingness, and Riku enjoyed several hours of deep sleep.

When he woke up, he recalled nothing. After all, one usually only remembers dreams that occur right before awakening. Even if Riku had remembered his dream, he wouldn't have worried. Of course he dreamed about Maleficent; they discussed her last night. Of course he dreamed about a black-cloaked being (even though no such being prowled about Hallow Bastion in reality, he remembered); they discussed Organization XIII last night.

But what about the question about need? Maleficent needed the Heartless to conquer, but that was it. But she didn't need them to survive, did she?

* * *

_Sora dreamed he was Rufaus. _

_Somewhat. Sometimes he was Rufaus Reddison. Sometimes he was floating high above, invisible, watching Rufaus from afar. Either way, he watched Rufaus relived the year following his parents' disappearance. _

_It was not a good year._

_His grandmother did not want him, for the woman never forgave Jasper for choosing such a gauche profession and marrying "that lower class foreigner girl." Neither did his elder uncle, Septimus. __**I'm a very busy lawyer**__, Septimus had stated, __**I don't have time to raise a child**__. Finally his other uncle condescended to take him into his custody. Thaddeus was a veterinarian, which meant he preferred animals to children. _

"_What's your uncle like?" his friend Lisset once asked him._

"_He's ... okay, I guess," Rufaus finally answered, hinting otherwise. But okay was better than nothing. __**Be glad someone took you in**__, his grandmother once told him. __**I would have thrown you out on the street, you ... illegitimate mongrel**_

"_No grandma is that bad!" his friend Caylan once yelled in disbelief._

"_My mother was from an foreign family, remember?" Rufaus reminded him. "My grandmother has some ... um, old fashioned ideas about blood and heritage."_

"_How come your mom's folks didn't take you in?"_

"_They … they disowned my mom when she married my dad," Rufaus confessed. Caylan was a longtime friend, privy to sensitive info. "They didn't approve of her marrying a 'gui lao.' They have old fashioned ideas too." "Gui lao" colloquially meant foreigner, but literally meant ghoul; to them, Rufaus didn't really exist. _

"_At least your parents aren't divorced," Lisset once consoled. "Like mine. Yours loved each other to the end." _

_Angry, Rufaus did not talk to her for a week; she made no sense! He spent that week thinking about his parents. Both were abandoned by their families and left to fend for themselves. Yet they overcame those obstacles, married, and lived happily ever after. For fifteen years. Their hearts were made of tough stuff, Rufaus concluded. Maybe Lisset was right. _

_Thaddeus did not cook;, Rufaus cooked both of them. Also, Thaddeus was wrapped around his own mother's finger, Rufaus suffered her criticism even when not in her presence. Still, it wasn't all bad. Deep down, his uncle was a decent man who simply preferred pets to parenting. _

_That year, Rufaus had lots of free time. Rufaus used that time to continue his home-schooling, studying textbooks from the local public library. Thaddeus did not like it at all; the man did not believe that teenagers would learn without teachers. How did he know Rufaus wasn't goofing off? When he himself was a teenager, unless pressured, he spent as much time possible not studying. How could Rufaus be any different? _

_Then came his decision to move to Destiny Islands. _

_One reason was because Thaddeus always wanted to live someplace tropical; it was his childhood dream. Another reason was because he thought it would be good for his nephew, despite Rufaus' protests otherwise. "Look at his!" the uncle scolded, holding up Rufaus' blue binder of news clippings. "Haven't you made your peace yet? You can't mourn forever, you know!"_

"_It's not just that!" Rufaus had protested. "What about my friends?" What about Lisset and Caylan? _

"_You'll make new friends," assured his uncle. "You're going to school." _

"_SCHOOL?" Rufaus exploded. His home-schooling was one of his few links to his missing parents. How dare his uncle force this on him! _

_But his uncle was his legal guardian, and had the final say on all matters. And so they moved. His friends promised to write. "This sucks," Caylan pouted when they saw each other for the last time. "You uncle's a crappy parent. You should sue!"_

"_My uncle's not the parenting type. That's just the way he is. He told me so," Rufaus said resignedly. "He never married. That should tell you much."_

"_That still sucks. So what if he's not the parenting type? He's under legal obligation to raise you right, right? Sue him and gets lots of money!"_

"_Lose lots of money, you mean. He'll most likely hire my other uncle. I heard he's a top lawyer." _

_While on the plane, Rufaus spied a solitary star from his window seat. He did not make a wish, for he didn't believe. He made a wish on a star every night for a month right after his parents vanished, and it didn't come true. The reason why Thaddeus moved into that tacky green building at Destiny Islands was because it was the only apartment complex that allowed pets (Thaddeus loved animals, after all, and planned to own several), price and space and distance to the nearest high school be damned. _

"_I was wrong. I'm sorry. How could I compare my parents to yours?" Lisset once wrote in a letter. _

_Suddenly, he was not Rufaus or watching Rufaus from above. He was watching it on video, the real Rufaus sitting next to him. Sora and Rufaus were in the latter's living room. The blue-haired boy switched off the television and gave the brunet a sad look that read: see how awful my life went since my parents died? _

"_Um ... surely, it wasn't that bad," said Sora lamely. _

_But he knew it really could be that bad. He heard horror tales from Snow White and Cinderella back at Hallow Bastion; after their fathers died, their stepmothers turned vicious and wanted nothing to do with them. Cinderella was forced to become a servant in her own house by her stepmother, the wicked Lady Tremaine. At least she fared better than Snow White, who had to flee for her life._

_Sora agreed with Caylan, too. He himself didn't really want to be the Keyblade Master ("Well, I didn't ask for this!"), but he rose to the task and became a worthy wielder of the blade. Shouldn't Rufaus' uncle do the same, where parenting was concerned? _

"_I know. I'm being selfish. I mean, most people would count themselves lucky to live in a tropical getaway," sighed Rufaus. "But the way I see it, I've been pretty unlucky lately." _

"_You're lucky in other ways ... " began Sora._

"_My parents died in a Heartless attack."_

"_You survived a Heartless attack."_

"_My grandparents and relatives treat me like I shouldn't exist."_

"_Um ... your uncle took you in."_

"_My uncle treats me okay, I guess, but ... well, between saving me and a dog from certain death, he'd pick the dog. And he moved us to this forsaken place in the middle of an ocean ... no offense, Sora. I miss Kismet. I miss home. I miss my friends."_

"_You made new friends," said Sora, pointing at himself. "Kairi, and … me."_

"_One of whom knows happened on to my parents but refuses to me tell anything."_

"_Oh." Sora tried to think of something else. "Um ... I have my reasons." Don't underestimate the importance of blissful ignorance, Rufaus. _

"_Yes." Rufaus rolled his eyes. "You are blessed with luck, good looks, requited love, and living parents. Those are your reasons. Kitsch is your reason."_

_Sora had no retort. "…"_

"_I – I, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Let's see what's on." Shamed, Rufaus turned on the TV and flipped through several channels. They watched an interview with Merkel Milton, formerly a famous drummer; currently back in to school to study metrology. _

"_But why did you retire from the music industry?" asked the interviewer._

"_My brother ... not here anywhere, y'know? Lost the urge to play." answered Merkel lamely. He seemd half - dead. Or high. "Band was his idea."_

"_But what happened to your dreams of hitting it big?"_

"_Um ... kinda lost interest in it." Merkel ran his hand through his short blond hair. "Doesn't feel right to not have my brother in it."_

_They continued to watch for some time. If there was more to the interview (there probably was, more generic questions and such), Sora couldn't remember._

When he woke up, Merkel's first two lines were only lines he recalled. "Okay, I get it! Their lives are awful!" he yelled to the ceiling. "I get it, alright? Loved ones dying's very horrible. But what can I do?" _Don't punish me for what the Heartless did!_

"Sora! You okay?" Riku's head came into view.

"Yeah. You didn't hear me yelling, did you?"

"Um ... I was in the bathroom when I heard you yelling. I didn't catch a single word. Why were you yelling?"

Sora sighed and tilted his head back. "I had a bad dream."

"Oh no." Riku looked concerned. "About Jasper?"

"Actually, no. I don't think he'll haunt my dreams anymore," explained the brunet. "This one's about Rufaus. I dreamed I was him. It was so weird!" Sora then told Riku about his dream. "His life was horrible after his parents became Heartless, Riku! I didn't know just how awful his grandmother wwas! If I were him, I'd ... I'd do anything to get them back." As Rufaus, he would. But as Sora?

"Well ..." Riku looked thoughtful, then shook his head. "Nah, it was only a dream. We know only some parts of his life, right? Your subconscious filled in the gaps and created an image of what his recent life might be like. It was all made up … I mean, your version of his life is pretty exaggerated and clichéd."

"Maybe." Sora threw off his blanket. "Maybe it's true."

"Aw ... c'om, Sora." Riku helped him up. "You know that only happens in videogames."

* * *

That night at Disney Castle served an important purpose, which was to calm everyone down after last night's disaster. Nothing like a nine hour breather to clear one's mind and calm one's heart for the brainstorming session to follow … for Sora and his friends, at least. For the castle staff (especially the poor brooms), it was not a nine hour rest, but a nine hour work shift. They spent the night busily cleaning up the mess that used to be the banquet. Had the brooms been granted mouths, they would have used it to mutter complaints against the king all night long.

After breakfast and morning chores, King Mickey gathered Sora, Riku, and Kairi in the audience chamber (Thank goodness he wasn't killed in his dreams or his sleep!). Also in there were Donald and Goofy; no one else, though, not even a broom. "Our spies'll be here shortly," the king assured. "We'll know the scoop on Maleficent for sure."

"Who are the spies?" inquired Sora.

At his question, King Mickey grinned. "Aw, you've met them before!" the king cheered, then pointed at Sora's black pants and sleeves. "After all, they gave you your new clothes!"

"You mean Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather?" _The three good fairies? They're King Mickey's spies? Wow!_ "Whoever knew?" It made complete sense. Being small flyers, they could hide themselves whenever Maleficent's servants were about. Being magical faeries, they could hold their own against Maleficent in a fight. Being sworn enemies of Maleficent, they knew her strengths and weaknesses.

"Do you really think it is Maleficent?" asked Kairi.

The small mouse shook his head. "Maybe ... maybe not. More likely not, given the evidence. Still, we gotta be sure. We'll know for sure once the three fairies get here."

"It's not her," concluded Riku. "I remember that Maleficent used a sigil." A circle on top of a stylized wedge, he remembered. "Why would she adopt the Organization XIII logo when she has her own?" What if she was using it as a red herring? That was a thought that had to be considered.

As if reading Riku's mind, King Mickey answered, "Don't worry, fellas! Since they're posted at the Castle that Never Was, the three fairies can still tell us all about what's happening in the World that Never Was! We'll have all the info we need on Nobodies!"

The three teens brightened at that. Sure enough, three colored lights soon floated in from behind the three teens and _WHOOSH!_ In their place were three winged old ladies in red, green, and blue. "How do you do, Your Majesty?" curtsied the leader, the red one named Flora.

"Let's cut to the cheese," said King Mickey (He probably meant "chase," but being a mouse, said "cheese."). "Tell us what Maleficent is up to."

The three ladies looked at one another (Were they thinking about the chase / cheese issue, too?). Then they huddled together and whispered among themselves. Overhearing bits of their furtive chatter, Sora was reminded of Yuna, Rikku, and Paine as they conversed together; so much gossiping. _Do all fairies talk in this manner? _Finally they separated and turned to the king. Said blue - colored Merryweather, "It's just as we told you the first time, Your Highness."

"Wait! What happened the first time?" cut in Sora.

The three fairies looked at one another, then nodded in unison. "Maleficent took up residence in the Castle that Never Was. We know, because she threw vines all over the place," began Merryweather. "Those blasted vines are everywhere! She has such bad taste."

"She recolored the castle. Black and violet and red," added Fauna. She shivered. "I find it quite garish, really."

"Nothing happened since she moved into the castle?" wondered Riku. "Nothing?"

"Nothing we know about," corrected Flora. "But … we haven't seen her once during our post. But this we know: she's still alive. Her minions patrol the castle every day. She can't direct them if she's dead, now can she?"

"Is she up to anything else?" asked King Mickey. "Because I survived an assassination attempt last night and I need to know if she's behind it."

This piece of news nearly floored the fairies (literally). "An assassination attempt!" exclaimed Fauna. Like a concerned aunt, the green fairy flitted about King Mickey's head (annoying him quite a bit, but he never showed it). "Oh, my goodness! I hope you're okay, Your Majesty! You aren't too shaken up, are you? Are you ill? Do you need anything? A cake? Medicine?"

"Aw, I'm just peachy," insisted the king, raising a hand to indicate he needed his space. Obediently, Fauna returned to her previous place. "The guy who tried to shoot me wore a coat with the Nobody symbol on the back. Tell me, is Maleficent hiring Nobodies to do her bidding?"

"Or using the Nobody symbol?" added Donald.

"Y'know, to throw us off track?" suggested Goofy. The King thinks maybe Maleficent is using Organization XIII as a red hearing."

"Herring!" corrected Donald.

Flora shook her head. "No, Your Majesty, not in the least! Maleficent views Nobodies as her enemies. They're a constant thorn in her side" - here she smiled at the wordplay - "ever since she took up residence in that castle. Scores of Nobodies keep trying to retake it. Her minions fight for her, of course. She doesn't fight herself."

Merryweather adjusted her cone-like hat. "Thank goodness for small favors," she quipped. "She's so busy fighting Nobodies, maybe that's why she hasn't done anything lately."

"Evil turns on itself," added Fauna sagely.

"But what about the symbol?" asked Donald Duck. The waterfowl fidgeted. "Red herring or not?"

Flora shook her head. "She wants nothing to do with Nobodies, certainly not their symbol. If she's going to use a symbol, she'll use her own." With her wand, she made a two dimensional image of the evil fairy's sigil. Everyone shuddered. Riku nodded; it was just as he remembered. It was just as he thought. At least now they knew for sure. Deserved absolute certainly was a rare treat, and he accepted it greedily.

"So it's not Maleficent," concluded King Mickey. "We thought as much. Thank you."

When he finished, the three fairies, thinking the appointment over, began to shrink and float away, but Donald stopped him with a temper tantrum, making them large and stationary in the air again. "Wait wait wait!" the magician cried, stomping the floor with his webbed foot. "We're not done here yet!"

"Yeah!" nodded King Mickey. "What's happenin' in the World that Never Was? What are the Nobodies up to, besides attackin' Maleficent's new place over and over?"

The three fairies gathered among themselves again. Sora strived to hear their conversion, but Kairi stopped him with a shoulder tap. "Don't be rude," she admonished.

Soon the fairies finished, and Flora faced the king with certainty. "The World that Never Was is in a state of unrest," she declared. "Organization XIII's fall caused some fallout among the Nobodies." More wordplay! She grinned to herself while Merryweather rolled her eyes.

"Well, of course!" said Sora. "Without their leaders, they have no direction, no plans to follow, right?" _Do they fight among themselves, or what?_

"Oh, it's not that at all!" explained Fauna. "The city's in an uproar. Half the population blames the government for what happened to Organization XIII. Another half thinks the government should something about what happened." She rubbed her chin. "Maybe the government sent the Nobodies that assault the castle."

The three teens were quite baffled. "City ... population?" wondered Riku. "Government? I thought Organization XIII was the government." Neaby, Goofy and Donald nodded, equally baffled. _It commands the lesser Nobodies_, Yen Sid once said of Organization XIII. That meant all Nobodies, right?

"That's what we believed when we started," agreed Merryweather. "We were wrong."

"Tell us more about this government, then," requested Riku.

The three fairies paused and looked at one another. Alas! They were so busy spying on Maleficent and forces at the Castle that Never Was that they forgot all about Nobodies. "All we know is that there is a government, because we overhear it from the Nobodies when they come to attack. We haven't explored the city all that much," confessed Flora.

"We keep to our post at the castle, so everything we know is rumor and hearsay!" added Fauna, hoping to recompense for ignorance with duty.

"If we had gone off into the city, like I insisted-" began Merryweather, but Flora silenced her with a frown. King Mickey noticed this. So, why did the blue fairy insist on leaving their post?

Meanwhile, the three teenagers pondered at this recent revelation. So, Organization XIII wasn't the only organization in the World that Never Was … it made sense, actually. The World that Never Was was an entire city, but Organization XIII occupied only one castle. What about the rest of the world? Surely it wasn't empty? But surely the city was empty, like a movie set; Nobodies are empty husks, why should their world be any different?

"So ... 'sides this government, what else d'you know about the World that Never Was?" asked King Mickey finally.

The fairies needed no huddle this time. "Countless Heartless roam the streets! There must be billions of them!" exclaimed Merryweather, waving her hands dramatically. Apparently, she desired to battle them as much as she desired to battle Maleficent.

"That's why we don't go down to the city. It's a war zone: too dangerous!" added Flora, giving Merryweather a stern look.

"That's all we know," concluded Fauna sheepishly.

Everyone took in this piece of news with wide eyes and breathy intakes of realization. Millions of Heartless? Of course, from when Kingdom Hearts blew up - talk about literal fallout. But even before it exploded, Kingdom Hearts must have ... dripped. Hence the Heartless Sora, Donald, and Goofy encountered on the streets when they visited the World that Never Was. What about beyond the streets? What about the buildings They never entered the buildings, which were all lit. Maybe they were occupied? Like the fairies, they had not explored the city all that thoroughly either.

The Heartless ravaged countless worlds, probably thousands. That resulted in a lot of Nobodies, most likely, and more than likely ... more than thirteen Nobodies that could take human form. "The employer's a Nobody who lives in the city," spoke up Donald. "Maybe he has connections with Organization XIII."

"I don't get it," spoke up Goofy. Everyone looked at the loyal knight. "What would a Nobody care for the Organization or try to avenge it? Nobodies don't feel."

"What does that have to do with anything?" demanded Donald.

"Um ... isn't revenge a feeling?"

* * *

Sora insisted on escorting King Mickey everywhere. "Jasper can strike anywhere and anytime, You Majesty! Please, let me protect you!" he begged. After all, the brown haired boy was the only one who successfully fought off the blue-grey haired man. Twice, if one included his dream.

"That's swell of ya," thanked Mickey. "But what are ya gonna do when Monday rolls around?"

"Oh no! School!" Sora raised a palm to his face. "Well ... but ... um, isn't your life more important?" School could wait. Home could wait. What about Rufaus, could he wait? The dream from morning came back to haunted Sora, but he forced it into a deep mental closet. _That was just a dream. His life is nothing like that._ _Still, what is kitsch?_ "Guess you're right."

Noting his sad face, Mickey assured, "Don't worry! You forget I'm a king. I'm under superb protection day and night!"

They walked across the broom - populated audience chamber, to the Hall of the Cornerstone; the king personally wanted to inspect the Cornerstone. Why didn't the Cornerstone blockade the assassin from Disney Castle? Surely, as an enemy, he should have been blocked out! Did something happen to the Cornerstone? It wasn't stolen, was it? Going to the hall was the only way to be sure.

"I suppose ... can't we visit every weekend? To check up on you?" asked Sora as they walked.

"Sure, if you're that worried." Mickey thumped his chest. "You forget. I was a Keyblade wielder."

"That's right!" nodded Sora. Then he froze. "Was?"

"Yep! I'm surprised you didn't lose your Keyblade, like Riku and me." The mouse spread out his empty hands. "Mine vanished as soon as I returned to Disney Castle. Riku's probably vanished as soon as he got to Destiny Islands! I assumed yours did, too."

So that was why his best friend wielded a short sword, not a Keyblade, during last night's confrontation. Sora felt worry gnaw at his gut; he thought having the Keyblade was a good thing. "How so, Your Majesty?" he asked as he hurried to the king.

Mickey smiled, but probably because they neared the trapdoor. "Simple. Each Keyblade has a different purpose. For example, Riku's was to help him find the way from darkness back to light. That's why it was called Way to the Dawn. Now that Riku's back to normal..." Mickey mimicked exploding fireworks with his hands. "Poof."

"I see. What about yours?" asked Sora as Mickey lifted the trapdoor. Like clockwork, the secret entrance swung down. The brooms nearby made no notice. Together, they stepped down.

"Oh, mine? It's a long story, you see …" Mickey stopped talking as they went down. Solemnly and wordlessly, they came in sight the Cornerstone. Right and white it shone, like a modal of a dwarf star on its Romanesque pedestal. It was just as they last saw it; nothing was wrong with it.

"Huh. Guess nothing's wrong," the mouse said.

Sora was about to escort King Mickey out when Jasper made his second attack.

* * *

"I don't get it," muttered Donald Duck.

"Get what?" asked Kairi.

She and the duck lounged in the Royal Library. Earlier, she and Riku tried to brainstorm theories on the "government" but lack of knowledge prevented them from doing so. So Riku went to the gummi garage to fetch his math textbook while Kairi remained and browsed the shelves. Which book was Ignorance? It has to be in the philosophy section, somewhere.

Meanwhile, Donald sat at the desk, busy studying any information he found on Nobodies. "These reports on Nobodies…" squawked the waterfowl, pointing at two separate paper stacks on the table, "they don't add up!"

"How?" The redhead peeked over his shoulder. The first report was the secret Ansem Reports, frome the wise philosopher himself. The second report was from the sorcerer Yen Sid, the man who aided Sora, Donald, and Goofy at the beginning of their second journey. Both were different in format and handwriting. So, they were different in content as well?

"Look here," said the duck. He underlined important sections in each report with his finger. "Ansem the Wise wrote this about the Nobodies. But Yen Sid wrote this. See a difference?"

It was a small difference, Kairi saw, but an important one nonetheless. This was what Ansem wrote:

_When a Heartless is born, the body and soul left behind are reborn into this world as a different being ... these non-beings: "Nobodies." _

_A great number of Nobodies have lost human form, as have the Heartless. Yet the Nobody born of someone with a strong heart retains its shape, with but the faintest visible changes._

But this was what Yen Sid wrote:

_If someone with a strong heart and will---be they evil or good---becomes a Heartless, the empty shell they leave behind begins to act with a will of its own. These beings are called Nobodies, for they truly do not exist at all._

_The most powerful Nobodies retain human form, but with minimal changes._

"Which one is it?" roared Donald.

"Well ... I think it's Ansem's," said Kairi. "He knew more about Nobodies, right?"

"It can also be Yen Sid. Yen Sid's is more recent," said a worried Donald. "Newer documents often correct mistakes of old ones, and Yen Sid must have read Ansem's." Not even Ansem the Wise was immune to error.

So which was it? Do Nobodies from any Heartless victim, or only from those with strong hearts? Do human - shaped Nobodies form from those with strong hearts, or only from those with supremely strong hearts?

"Maybe they're both right. Or wrong," pondered Kairi. "Maybe the true answer lies between ... or elsewhere."

As Donald re-read each document, Kairi returned to inspecting the shelves. No luck: Ignorance was as imaginary as the visitor she imagined yesterday - there he was, in the same corner! He was just as she imagined - no, remembered: red eyes, white hair, grey clothes! Kairi turned to confront the man about his disappearance – aw shoot, he's gone again. The redhead frowned. _Who is he?_

Meanwhile, Donald sighed and said, "Poor Ansem ... he was unluckier than me."

* * *

King Mickey suddenly pitched forward and fell on his face. He didn't get up.

"Your Majesty!" cried the frightened boy as he rushed to the king's side. Fortunately, Mickey was still alive, as there was no blood. Fingers shaking, Sora administered an elixir. The king recovered, but remained inert. No good, no matter now many elixirs; he was out cold.

The boy looked up. Up in the air, like a wingless angel, was Jasper Reddison. The man stared down at the boy with the dead eyes of a Nobody. "You!" whispered Sora through clenched teeth of hate. "You'll pay for this!"

"The king is alive, great hero," replied Jasper tonelessly. "You need not worry about him."

"Yeah, I know! I checked!" The hero readied his Keyblade. "You're a lousy shot, Jasper! Some assassin you are!"

Sora wondered if calling him a lousy shot was a mistake. Last time he said that, in his dream, Jasper wounded him in the gut. But now, instead the blue-grey haired man blinked and frowned. Suddenly and swiftly he sank down ... through the air, and into the floor.

"What the?" cried the boy. Then he remembered, and ran very fast in random directions in order to avoid hands grabbing at his ankles. Assassin Nobodies had the ability to swim through ground as though it was water, using their knife-like limbs to attack while using the floor as a shield. They made for tricky targets. Did Jasper, being an assassin, have the same ability to - _oh no, the king! No one's going to grab King Mickey on his watch_, Sora vowed.

Sora ran to Mickey at once. Luckily, he reached the king safety. Cheek pressed against marble, eyes firmly shut, chest still moving, Mickey Mouse appeared to be taking a nap for all intents and purposes. Sora saw no wound, remembered no bang. What kind of silent attack leaves no wound and puts its victims to sleep?

Of course ... probably a dart full of sleeping serum. A bullet and sudden death was too good for the king, in the opinion of his enemies. Jasper's job must be to deliver King Mickey, alive, to his employer, who would then visit unimaginable vengeance on the hapless mouse. Sora shuddered and hefted the small king into his arms. He must carry the king to safety, fast!

"Not so fast."

Out of the corner of his eye, the brunet spied blue-grey hair and white coat. There was a whistling sound, and something bounced off Sora's shoulder. Thank goodness for shoulder guards!

"Not now!" raged Sora. He executed a Strike Raid at the man behind him. The Keyblade missed the man by centimeters, but Jasper did not fire in retaliation. _He's after the king_, Sora thought. _He doesn't need the gun anymore._ Hugging the inert ruler against his chest, the boy focused on running towards the exit.

He tripped.

He didn't drop Mickey, but he scraped his knees against the floor as a result. Fortunately for him, the floor was smooth polished marble. Still, it hurt! In front of him was the exit. "HEY! WE NEED SOME HELP HERE!" Sora yelled. Will his cry be answered?

"If I hurt the king, will you get angry?" calmly asked Jasper behind him.

Placing the king prone on the ground, Sora stood up and positioned himself (Ach, his aching knees!) between Mickey and Jasper. "Don't come any closer!"

"I guess that's a yes," said the man. Then he jerked his head up in alarm; luckily for Sora, his cry for help was answered.

Help came down in the form of Horace Horsecollar and many brooms wielding crossbows. "The king's fine! Get him to a doctor!" Sora yelled to Horace. He readied his weapon again. "I'll deal with the Nobody."

Without a word or nod (Time must not be wasted!), the horse scooped up his king in his arms and hurried away. The brooms, however, cocked and loaded their crossbows simultaneously. "You'll not get the king again. It's over!" declared Sora.

Then Jasper did something totally strange. He took off his hat and hurled it away.

"What?" yelled Sora just as the brooms fired. _TWANG!_ They missed their target; the man was nowhere to been. The brunet cast Curaga on himself (more specifically, for his knees) while the brooms looked around, puzzled. Then one of them twitched and collapsed ... and vanished. As did another, and another…

Shadows took their place.

"Heartless?" cried Sora as he attacked and slew them all. "How?" Then he heard a **BANG **and felt great but familiar pain in his right shoulder. It was the cold, creeping pain that came only from Heartless wounds. Sora cried as he fell down. _I'm been shot_, he thought dully.

Groaning, he turned over onto his back. Jasper Reddison, his hat back on his head, loomed over his view. In the older man's right hand was a gun. It was a not a dart gun, but the gun from last night. Sora guessed that it has powers similar to that of a Heartless. Sora realized he must get up before Jasper left the room and went after Horace.

What revenge! Turning the king into a Heartless! That would be a dish served perfectly cold to whoever wants - **BANG!** Instead of leaving, Jasper shot him in his left shoulder. Then Sora realized something else.

From experience alone, he would have thought Jasper to be a lousy assassin. What sort of assassin blotches two assassination attempts? And misses? And reveals himself? Yet he _knew_ that Jasper was an excellent assassin. What if the missed shots were intentional? What if revealing himself was part of a larger plan ... to draw out his true victim?

Why didn't Jasper go after Horace just now? The guy could teleport and sink through floors. Why didn't Jasper go after King Mickey last night, either? Why did he waste his time on Sora?

What if Mickey Mouse wasn't his target?

"Oh my god…" mouthed Sora. "You're not after King Mickey. You're after me."


	12. Chapter 11

The Cornerstone protected Disney Castle and its inhabitants from Darkness. It barred creatures of Darkness, such as Heartless of Maleficent, from entering. This should bear repeating: the Cornerstone protected Disney Castle and its inhabitants from Darkness. Not Nothingness. Not against creatures of Nothingness, such as Nobodies or Jasper Reddison.

The Cornerstone could not protect Sora from the man above him. _I'll have to protect myself_, he resolved. _Now, if only I could get up ... hey, that's mine! _

Adding insult to injury, Jasper gently plucked the Keyblade from Sora's right hand (weakened from his shoulder injury) and took it to a faraway corner of the room. The man's footsteps got fainter as he approached that far corner. Satisfied that it was as far away from the Keyblade Master as possible, he laid the Keyblade against that corner. "There," he said. Then it vanished. "What the?"

He turned around to see it back in Sora's hand. So much for insulting the Chosen One.

Too bad the Keyblade was not much use in Sora's possession, since the boy was prone and weak. Creeping coldness in his shoulders prevented him from reaching for a potion. _They're only Heartless wounds_, Sora consoled himself; he suffered countless such wounds before and survived just fine. He only needed to heal himself. Too bad he had already cast Curaga (on his knees); it would be some time before he would regain the magic to heal again.

The loss of the Keyblade did not appear to upset Jasper too much. "Who knew? Well ... you are the Chosen One," he mused. Without so much as even a shrug, the man turned around and strolled towards the boy. In his right hand, light from the Cornerstone gleamed off his gun.

_He's come to finish me off_, Sora realized. The boy sought some way to stall for time until he regained his magic. "Aw, come on! You didn't know? What kind of assassin doesn't do his homework on his targets beforehand?" he taunted.

Jasper stopped. "I was only testing," he said. He sounded truthful enough. Still, it could be an act.

Guess what, Sora knew how to act too. Sora dramatically rolled his eyes. "Yeah right!"

"All Organization members had the ability to summon their weapons to their hands at will," Jasper explained in the manner of a lecturer, barely paying attention to his restrained student.

"I knew that already, I saw it firsthand - hey, wait a minute! You're not mistaking me for Roxas again, are you?" Sora glared ice cold blue knives at the Nobody.

"I assure you, I am not." Now Jasper seemed to pay attention.

"Okay, good. Because I'm not him. He's gone," Sora stated firmly. "Forever and for sure."

Those last four words made Jasper resume walking, this time at a faster and angrier pace. "Can't believe he was your Nobody. He was much better behaved," he muttered. Ignoring that last remark, Sora faced the gunman with fearlessness; he felt his magic returning. It was only a matter of time, seconds really. He furtively curled his fingers around the Keyblade's handle. When the man was mere paces away from him...

"**HEAL!"** Lo and behold! There stood the Keyblade Master, fully healed, Keyblade at the ready, dashing forward, raising his weapon to cleave the man before him in two - **BANG! BANG!** See, Jasper panicked and fired twice. **THUD!** There lay the Keyblade Master, wounded twice in the arm, Keyblade useless beside him on the floor, prone, at total mercy of the man before him.

"Hmmph ... he was smarter, at least. Not an idiotic brat like you," Jasper grumbled as he dusted off his shoulders, recovering from his shock.

"Uh - oh," muttered the boy. Um, back to square one?

* * *

Donald and Kairi hurried to the Royal Bedroom as soon as they heard the news. Donald led the way, his webbed legs nearly slipping on the stone floor. "Where's the King? I'm here!" cried the duck as he burst into the royal bedroom.

He need not have worried. Tending over the sleeping Mickey was Doctor Ludwig Von Drake, the best medical practitioner in the land. "Ah! Hello, my nephew!" cheered the aged duck. "Don't worry! It's only sleeping serum!"

"Sleeping serum?" repeated Kairi stupidly. Donald just stared ahead, puzzled.

Sure enough, the king was dozing soundly on his king-sized bed, looking for all intents and purposes to be taking a nap. Magician Donald could tell at once that King Mickey was under no curse, no poison, no evil spell. Also in the room was Queen Minnie and Riku; they looked relaxed, relieved. So, the king really was okay, else the queen wouldn't be so calm. How long would the king sleep?

"Doctor Von Drake says he will wake up in a few hours," replied Queen Minnie, answering his silent question. She smiled as she reached out and squeezed King Mickey's hand.

"What kinda assassin attacks with sleeping powder?" demanded an incredulous Donald.

"My theory is that this assassin fella wasn't out to kill the king," guessed Von Drake. "Instead, he just wanted to put him to sleep."

Riku nodded. "That makes sense. Jasper's orders must be to deliver the king, alive, to whoever hired him," he said. _In order to subject him to the direst revenge imaginable_, he thought, but the silver-haired teen did not voice that. Everyone probably guessed that already. Fortunately for King Mickey, the Keyblade Hero rescued him. Twice. Now where was the Keyblade Hero?

"Where Sora?" said Kairi worriedly.

Von Drake didn't skip a beat. "In mortal combat with the assassin, in the Hall of the Cornerstone," he intoned dramatically. Then he resumed his characteristic cheer: "To distract the assassin, no doubt."

Kairi's heart skipped a heart. "Alone!" she squeaked. This was not good.

"Captain Goofy and his men are coming to his aid as we speak," replied Von Drake, giving Kairi as curious look. Things were tense, but not that tense! Goofy and his knights were superb defenders, this he knew. With Sora, they would have the assassin outnumbered, cornered, and defeated, in the Hall of the Cornerstone in no time. Yes, there was much to worry about, but surely the girl was overreacting.

"Sora's fighting him?" Kairi whispered in a small, tight voice. She took off.

* * *

Sora waited for Jasper to finish him off. Jasper did not. Sora wondered why. The man just stood over him like a bored sentry, firearm ready in his right hand, curious green eyes scanning his captured quarry, pausing a bit when coming into contact with hateful blue eyes, wondering how his quarry pulled off that amazing stunt a moment before.

Sora checked himself over. His wounds seemed to be more serious this time, since the cold, creeping pain was concentrated in his left forearm this time instead of spread throughout his shoulders. The coldness did not spread or intensify, but was enough to hinder him; his left arm was too heavy to prevent him from hefting himself up with his right arm. Luckily for Sora, he was shot in the arm. _If I were shot in the chest, in the heart, like the brooms ..._

The boy shuddered. Him becoming a Heartless! That would certainly prevent him from protecting King Mickey and be the coldest served revenge dish of all! With a third bullet in the chest, Jasper could have his (employer's) revenge. So why was he hesitating? Was he wondering about the stunt?

"It's my clothes," the boy explained.

"Hm, what?"

"My clothes. They restore my magic."

"I see." Jasper kept his gun directed on Sora. "Enchanted clothing, I can relate." He grazed the brim of his hat with his left hand. "A gift from the king, no doubt."

"Wrong. The three good fairies gave it to me."

"Under orders from the king, no doubt. So I'm right," insisted Jasper.

"If you say so." Sora felt impatience replace caution. What fate did the man have in store for him, and did it involve being shot in the chest? He knew that if he cured himself again, the man would just shoot him again. Probably in a non-vital area again: nonfatal but annoying. "Aren't you gonna finish me off?"

"Excuse me?"

"What do you want from me, anyway?" Sora demanded. "Since you're not finishing me off." What exactly did that man want? Him? King Mickey? Both him and King Mickey?

Jasper gave the boy an annoyed look. "Truth is, I am under orders to finish you off in the quickest manner possible. But..." He sat down next to Sora (still keeping his gun pointed at the boy) and gave him a faint, fatherly simile. "I'm going to disregard orders and go my own way."

Sora blinked. Like a dream, things were not making much sense. "Why?"

Jasper ignored that last remark: "First, I wish to talk."

* * *

Goofy and his knights barged into the now empty audience chamber, shields and swords out, armor clanking and echoing loudly.

"**CHAAARGE!"**

The entrance to the Hall of the Cornerstone appeared open. _Appeared _open.

**THUNK!**

Goofy saw stars and familiar pink hecatombs. He had plowed right into a magical barrier (along with some fellow knights). Huh, it was the same sort of barrier Organization XIII used to use! Goofy could barely make out two figures down below. If he yelled really loud, would they hear him? Was the barrier soundproof?

"**SOOOOOORA!! CAN YA HEEEEEEAR ME!?"**

Yes it was ...

* * *

"Talk?!" Sora was incredulous. "Talk about what? I thought we were in a life or death duel here!"

The man waved it off. "If you want a duel, that can be arranged in due time," he responded flippantly. "Until then, I wish to discuss something." Now his voice turned serious. "You probably know what."

"Yeah, I know ... Organization XIII," Sora frowned. "Look, I did what I had to do. Organization XIII had to be taken out."

"For what reasons?"

"Simple, for ... " Sora hesitated. What were the reasons? What cause dictated that Organization XIII's destruction be necessary? What cause was put forth by Ansem the Wise, who dictated that Organization XIII's destruction be necessary? "Ansem the Wise…" What did Ansem the Wise say? Sora struggled to remember the exact words (spoken or written) of Ansem the Wise. All he remembered was his strange hatred for the deceased philosopher-king last night.

"Ansem the Wise!" Jasper spat. "His only motive for bringing down Organization XIII was to fulfill a personal vendetta. Some wiseman!"

Sora flinched. The blue-grey haired man was right. Ansem the Wise made no illusions about his reason: spiteful revenge, revenge against his six betrayers, the founding members of Organization XIII. Maybe that was the reason for his own hatred last night, Sora mused. Ansem the Wise helped restore his memories not out of the goodness of his heart, but out of the desire to use him in his revenge-plot. Also, in order to help his restoration, he used Namine and Riku as pawns…

_What I need is someone who can move about the realm of light and destroy Organization XIII._

Some wiseman. Those who claimed to profess wisdom should know that revenge and using others were not hallmarks of wisdom. Still ... a person could do the right thing for the wrong reasons, right? "Even if it was destroyed for the wrong reasons, Organization XII still had to be destroyed," Sora said lamely. "Ansem was wrong to seek revenge, but ... but he was only following his heart!"

"That's a horrible reason to respect a ruler!" stated Jasper. "Followed his heart instead of his wisdom? Some ruler! He let his kingdom fall to ruin, didn't he?"

"Aw, come on!" Sora snorted, hating the man for being correct. "You hate him only because he blew up Kingdom Hearts!"

Jasper paused. Then he pressed his left hand against his forehead. He murmured, more to himself than Sora, "Yes ... when Kingdom Hearts exploded, I saw hearts in the air. I ran into the streets like everyone else. I thought I felt happiness. 'Which heart was mine?' I wondered. I grabbed at them, but ... they slipped through my hands," He grimaced. "Was this Organization XIII's plan? No ... the hearts became Heartless. We ran back inside to escape them. If I had a heart, it would have broke from disappointment."

Mention of Kingdom Hearts made Sora recall how he was used to create the big floating moon. Using that memory, Sora summoned whatever hatred he possessed against Organization XIII. He thought back to Saix, Hallow Bastion, Axel, him being set up, captive hearts ... there! There was his hatred! "Organization XIII was using me as pawn! It used me to make Kingdom Hearts! There was nothing I could do! I had no choice but to do what they wanted! That's not a nice feeling, you know!"

"So, you preferred being used as Ansem's pawn instead?" Jasper suddenly mocked, turning his head to aside in mock disgust. He seemed to be jealous of Sora having feelings, enjoyable ones or not.

Sora growled, "I was never his pawn! I followed my heart, not his plans!"

"I can tell from your tone that you hate him," observed Jasper, his tone changing again, this time to wry amusement. "So why do you defend him?"

Sora held his tongue. Jasper was right. His summoned rage lessened, bit by bit, defeated by Jasper's last few lines. Time to steer this conversation to philosopher-free waters: "Look, this isn't about Ansem the Wise!" insisted Sora. "This is about Organization XIII! About Xemnas!"

Jasper caught his trick: "So! Instead of a counter - argument, you change the subject." He shook his head. "Gauche."

Sora winced but refused to admit his trick: "You're the one who wanted to talk about Organization XIII in the first place!"

Jasper nodded. "Yes, I do. So why are we talking about Ansem, whom you hate but defend?" He kept his mouth shut, waiting for the boy to respond. He was silent for quite some time.

In the end, Sora had no choice but to answer about Ansem the Wise. "Alright," the boy began slowly and carefully. "Ansem wasn't the picture of pure good and justice, I'll give you that. He made mistakes ... quite a lot. And he had ... personal issues he never resolved. But he was sorry in the end. He knew he did wrong."

"Was one of his wrongs the destruction of Organization XIII?"

"Heck no." Sora meant his initial well intentioned but doomed research, because he involved his treacherous assistants in it.

Undaunted, Jasper said, "Did he ever make up for his other wrongs?"

"Yeah! He ..." What did Ansem the Wise do to make up for his misdeeds, anyway? He apologized to Roxas. He refused to budge when his machine threatened to explode. He confessed that his disregard led to chaos. Then he died when his machine exploded, restoring Riku's form (but that may have not been on purpose). "Okay ... no. But he had no time! Shouldn't an apology be enough?"

"Not for me," shrugged Jasper, "but that's only because accepting an apology requires a heart."

Of course! No hearts! That was his angle! "At least Ansem the Wise had a heart!" Sora retorted loudly. "Unlike you and Organization XIII!" Fine, so Ansem's heart was bitter and cracked, eroded by prolonged contact with darkness, but they could ignore that!

Jasper's face remained the same, but Sora noticed his hand had tightened on his gun. "Is having no hearts the only reason to merit their destruction?"

"Yes! It was ... um," hesitated Sora. "It was up to some horrid stuff!"

"Like what?"

"Like…" Like what? What horrid stuff? Lots of horrid stuff. Demyx in the Underworld, Xaldin at Beast's Castle, Luxord at Port Royal, Xigbar in the Land of Dragons ... Sora and co. found them running nefarious errands. What exactly were those errands? They seemed irrelevant compared to the only really horrid act they pulled: capturing Kairi and hinting at something dark happening to Riku. As long as Organization XIII ran amok, he could not return to Destiny Islands. Not without Kairi and Riku. "It was keeping me from getting back home with my friends," he finally said.

"Hmm..." Jasper observed. "So, your only reason to bring down Organization XIII was to fulfill some selfish desire. Little wonder you side with Ansem the Wise."

"Hey! I missed my friends," Sora remarked. "I was devastated … aw, how can you relate? You're a Nobody. You don't feel. You can't miss anything!"

"I miss having a heart," countered Jasper. "I miss my wife and son."

"You don't feel," Sora stubbornly insisted. "How can you miss anyone?"

"Fine," Jasper spat. "I miss the feeling of missing my wife and son. Satisfied?" He gazed at the Cornerstone, which shone like pearl. "Almost everyone I know misses the concept of having feelings, including the feeling of missing someone," he murmured, more to himself than Sora.

His last few lines cut to Sora heart. Sora suddenly remembered Rufaus. He remembered the wistful look his friend had whenever he talked about his dad. Saix had a similar look when he saw released hearts disappear in the sky during the assault on Hallow Bastion. Saix was cold; even his rage was artificially invoked by some outside power source. Yet gazing at those hearts, he seemed... not cold. Wistful. Hopeful?

"It was up to _what_ horrid stuff?" Jasper spoke forcefully, shaking Sora out of thoughts of an Organization XIII member he just now no longer hated.

No worming around it this time. Sora tried to remember the exact nature of the errands. But he couldn't remember clearly, due to his arm pain. All he remembered were that Xaldin, Xigbar, Luxord ... they were all rude to him, uncaring whether they harmed others in trying to fulfill their errands. Hurting Belle, hurting Jack ... they acted like bastards! Yes, there was his angle again! The boy summoned whatever protective feelings he had towards his friends and fairly yelled, "Organization XIII, no matter what stuff they did, were bastards!"

_That may be ... however, what other choice might we have had?_

Sora winced at that memory. Where did it come from? Why did it appear just now?

"Instead of listing examples, you resort to emotional appeals," Jasper disapproved, unmoved. "If that's your complaint, it's a poor one. You know as well as I that people act differently 'on the job' than in private." Emotional appeals wouldn't work on him, an unfeeling Nobody.

"On the job? In private?" wondered the boy. That made no sense. "Acting differently in public and in private requires feelings, I think." No, that was false; what about necessity? Different jobs required different personas. Jasper was much more respectful, almost servile in his dreams.

"You only met each member briefly, then fought each of them, and won," continued Jasper. "You hardly knew them."

"Oh, and you did?" Sora shifted his weight on the ground. Thanks to his body heat, it was no longer cool. He hated the man for being right. If he knew Demyx was once Myde Milton, would he have fought him? If he knew Rould had a wife, would he had fought Luxord?

"Some of them, yes." The ground beneath Jasper remained cool. "On a personal basis."

"Is that why you're here? To avenge them?" Sora wondered. "Wait ... why should you care to avenge Organization XIII? Isn't revenge a feeling?"

Jasper gave him a severe look. "Revenge is an act, not an emotion," he corrected.

"Excuse me for getting my grammar wrong -" Sora stopped. Jasper was right. Of course! This whole conversation was an act, a calculated act! Everything Organization XIII did was calculated and directed towards some goal. How could non-Organization Nobodies be any different?

Nobodies were cunning and manipulative, and Jasper was no different.

"Oh, no wonder you wanted to talk to me ..." said Sora angrily, his fingers itching to punch the guy. "You were trying to convince me Organization XIII wasn't evil! Fat chance!" This conversation was over! The man failed!

Jasper gave him a curious look. "Yes, I admit I was trying to persuade you. You seem to be under the impression that not having a heart automatically denotes evil."

"It does, doesn't it?" Sora insisted. "Having a heart is important."

"I know this on a deeper level than you can ever fathom," came the reaply in a strange, hallow voice. He abruptly stood up. So, persuasion didn't work. Time for plan B.

Sora felt fear creep back. This was it. Jasper had his precious talk, and now he was going to finish Sora (and later Mickey, probably) off, as his employer ordered. Sora prepared to roll to the side and cast Curaga and run like heck as soon as -

"Right ... your arm," said Jasper. Imagine Sora's surprise at his next words: "Unlike the brooms, you have a strong heart. Believe in its strength and the pain will fade."

Sora believed. He believed his heart to be a brilliant 100 watt light bulb. He imagined the creeping coldness was evaporating from his arm, exposed to the warmth of his heart. He opened his eyes and saw that it was true; he was cured. "What ... why?" he wondered as he got up, massaging his healthy forearm.

"You wanted a duel. You shall have your duel," said the blue-grey haired gunman curtly. He took a few space back and raised his fireman to shoulder level, his gun apparently freshly reloaded. "Defeat me, and your dream will come true. Prepare yourself, Keyblade Master!"

"Gladly!" Sora leaped up and charged ...

* * *

"Where's Sora?" panted Kairi as she ran to the audience chamber.

"Um ... over here, Kairi," said Goofy. The lanky knight pointed at the invisible barrier.

"They were ... discussing something, we think," said a nearby knight, a portly young fellow named PJ. "But now they're fighting."

"Fighting? Oh no," murmured the girl as she ran up to it, pressing her hands against it, creating pink ripples on it. This was just as he feared. Below, Sora was in mortal combat with the mysterious man. Sora was risking more than his life here! She remembered what happened last time … and she must warn him! "Sora!"

"Um ... he can't hear you," explained PJ.

Kairi ignored him. "Sora! Sora!"

* * *

"We shouldn't be fighting," remarked Jasper as he reloaded his gun for the fourth time. He ducked behind the Cornerstone to do this vital task. The Keyblade Hero wouldn't strike at a holy monument, would he?

"Oh yeah? Why not?" shot back Sora as he cast Curaga for the twelfth time. Curse the man and his crippling bullets!

"One of us is might be charged with the murder of the other."

"You, maybe!" panted Sora as he went around the Cornerstone and greeted the surprised gunman with a hit. "But not me! Nobodies aren't supposed to exist!"

Big mistake. "Replace 'Nobodies' with the minority of your choice, and you'll know my opinion of your opinion, you bigot!" Jasper screamed. Rabid, the gunman dashed forward and fired repeatedly. **BANG, BANG!** Sora felt a slight sting in his upper arm, and massive pain in his stomach. It hurt, but not as much as the word _bigot_. That last accusation burned like shameful anger in his heart.

"How dare you accuse me of that!" he screamed back as he attacked, heedless of his injuries. How dare the man call him prejudiced!

Jasper sank below the floor as Sora sank to his knees. The brunet got out an elixir, fingers shaking, while his eyes darted left and right, searching for a bobbling white hat floating on the floor like water. _That was a lie_, he told himself. The man was just trying to throw him off.

So why did like felt like the truth?

"Why do you hate Nobodies? Because someone from up high told you to?" whispered a voice behind him. Sora spun around and slashed upwards. Jasper swerved backwards. Sora swung down. Jasper was hit in the knee. Now it was the adult who was on his knees.

"Because ... " Sora gasped, hesitating. This latest accusation hurt even more, because it was true. Yen Sid, Ansem the Wise ...

"Guess I was right. You have a heart, but you don't have your own mind," the man taunted. When Sora didn't respond, he sank into the floor again. Sora wondered. If Yen Sid never warned him about Nobodies, what would have been his reaction to them?

_So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark - never given a choice?_

"What about you?" Sora angrily yelled to change the subject; he knew the man could hear. "You're working under someone! What kind of high up is he?" Why was that every time he fights Jasper, he gets supremely angry? That was not like him. Itching to end this fight at once, Sora raised his blade to cast Thundaga - **BANG!** "Arugh!" Sora cast Curaga again. Dang, he couldn't use his magic for anything else! Every time he tried to cast offensive magic, Jasper would come out of nowhere and shoot him in the leg, bringing him down. Guess Jasper learned from his dream. Now Sora knew how Sark felt.

"This isn't fair for both of us," remarked Jasper some distance away. The man stood awkwardly, hindered by his knee. "I don't want to fight you any more than you want to fight me."

"Wrong!" countered the boy. "I really, really want to fight you!" _But not kill you_, he realized. _Rufaus would never forgive me._ Why was he thinking about the new guy?

"It's not fair now, is it? If one of us is unwilling to fight -" Jasper began before having to defending himself against a flurry of Keyblade swings, parrying like an Assassin Nobody. _Sorry Rufaus_, thought Sora as he attacked. _Guess some of us really are luckier than others._ His own dad was still fine on Destiny Islands.

"Is it because you think you can get rare materials from my corpse?" commented the Nobody as he shot Sora in the foot, stopping him. The boy stumbled back in pain. "I'm not carrying any dense gems, I'm afraid." His voice held a hint of humor. He seemed to be more at ease, despite his injury.

"Ha ha, very funny," Sora said as he quickly gulped down a potion. Then he closed in and ... attacked empty air. Jasper had teleported away somewhere. Now was not the time to talk about synthesis, Reddison! "What do you want with me, anyway?"

"I want you gone," came a hateful whisper behind him. Sora dodged and swung just in time. The man yelped as he was struck in the other knee. Seizing his chance, Sora jumped backwards and cast Blizzaga. **FWOOSH!** Jasper was now trapped frozen. Of course, given his crippled condition, he would have been trapped anyhow.

"Not good…" he mused.

**ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!** Sora cast Thundaga several times on the frozen man, focusing his rage and hate into each bolt. No longer frozen, instead crispy-fried, the mute man sank back down to the floor like a corpse.

The boy looked around warily. Where would he pop up next? "Give up," he declared. "You lost."

No response. But he sensed Jasper's silent agreement.

"You don't want me dead, else you would have killed me back when I was on the floor," mused the boy. "And you don't want King Mickey dead either, because you fight me instead of chasing Horace." At least he knew Jasper (and his employer) wanted Sora, not Mickey. "What do you ... what does your employer want with me?" He thought he heard faint shouting, far away. No response.

Sora cautiously walked around, wary of hands nipping at his ankles. Where would Jasper attack next? What did Jasper want? If it wasn't him or Mickey, then what?

"I never wanted Sora."

"What?"

Suddenly Jasper was behind him, grabbing his free hand. "We have to leave soon, my liege. Before the king's men arrive."

The boy suddenly realized he wasn't Sora. His suspicions were confirmed when he heard Kairi scream loud and long, "NO, SORA! YOUR HAIR'S TURNING BLOND!!"

_Defeat me, and your dream will come true._ Not his dream of victory and escape. That other dream, two weeks ago.


	13. Chapter 12

What, exactly, was the nature of Jasper Reddison's gun? His Walther P99 DAO, to be exact?

Its powers were based off those of a Heartless, that much was obvious. Those killed by it suffered the same fate as those killed by Heartless; they became Heartless themselves. Was the gun a transformed Heartless in reality? That could explain how it worked, and how Jasper could hold it. Vexen, the Chilly Academic, created it for Jasper during a special mission.

Jasper kept it ever since. He became well known for it throughout the city; he and the gun were like one. If he was separated from it, he found that he would will it back in his hand, similar to how Organization members could summon their weapons in their hands at will.

His from Crypus were to find and shoot Sora when the latter was alone and unprepared. _Shoot him as quickly as possible, and then capture the resulting Heartless immediately. Flee! Go to Twilight Town and find the resulting Nobody._

Roxas, the Nobody of Sora. The last remnant of Organization XIII.

Jasper thought those orders were ... wrong. Surely, there was a better way to get Roxas back. Even if Sora was a naive brat, the boy didn't deserve such a ... "death." Couldn't Roxas return more voluntarily? He was his liege, after all. Thus he went his own way.

Plan A (persuasion) failed. Plan B (combat) worked. How so?

Remember what Xaldin was doing at Beast's Castle? He was trying to make Beast give in to his rage, for if Beast were to fall to the anger in his heart, he would fall to darkness and become a Heartless. Organization XIII could use the resulting Heartless and Nobody. _Feed your anger! Only anger will keep you strong._  
_So you see, Beast - that's why we need your Heartless AND your Nobody!_

Same deal with Jasper and Sora in the dreams and in the Hall of the Cornerstone.

His new plan took more time than Crypus', Jasper knew. So when he heard the boy's voice change, he knew there was no time to lose; Crypus' barrier had a time limit, after all. "We have to leave soon, my liege. Before the king's men arrive," he said, grabbing the Keyblade wielder's hand.

Everything was going so smoothly. He had succeeded in his assignment - and he did it his own way. He was about to teleport to safety when he heard someone yell, "NO, SORA! YOUR HAIR'S TURNING BLOND!"

Turning his head, he saw a very strange sight. _You're that girl ... _

He heard of that girl. Rumor had it that she was created from a person who could never become a Heartless - a Princess of Heart. Even among Nobodies, she was not supposed to exist. Rumor also had it that she up and vanished one day, ceasing to exist. That, or she was kidnapped. Yet here she was. She was running as fast as her thin legs could handle.

_Naminé?_ Suddenly, Jasper's head suddenly came into contact with a large, round, metal disk. _**WHAAAANG!! **_"Gotcha!" said Goody. Hurray for Knocksmash!

Kairi knew what she had to do. She ran up to the boy and hugged him tight. "You're Sora. No one else. Turn back to Sora. Please, Sora!" she murmured. _You're Sora, you're Sora, you're Sora_. She focused her heart on restoring Sora. It happened once, when she restored Sora from Heartless back to human form in Hallow Bastion. Let it happen again.

"My liege! No! What are you -?" demanded a dazed Jasper, but was hindered by a severe whack on his back from the same disk from before. **WRUNG!!** "Gah!"

Goofy was not going to let him be. "Leave Sora alone!"

"Kairi...?" asked the brunette boy she held in her arms. Yes, his hair was brunette again. His mind and memories were his own again, too. Kairi succeeded. Dazed but relived, he returned his hug. Before he could respond further, Max and PJ escorted him quickly out of the Hall of the Cornerstone, leaving a puzzled Kairi behind.

"C'om, let's get you as far away from that guy as possible," said Max.

Meanwhile, Goofy and Jasper were locked in deadly combat on the opposite side of the Cornerstone; Jasper had dodged behind it as to dodge the knight's blows. Goofy hurled another Knocksmash at Jasper. The frustrated man ducked and the shield hit the Cornerstone. Ooops. Turns out it was only precariously perched on its pedestal.

The round artifact pitched forward and rolled like a boulder towards Kairi. "Oh no," she whispered. Her legs froze.

"No!" Sora cried. He was too far away to reach her. Then he saw an extremely strange sight. Jasper ran behind her, grabbed her, and ran to another section of the hall. The boulder passed by the. He saved her? What on earth?

"What ... ?" wondered Kairi. "Why?" Her voice was drowned by the noise of a Cornerstone clanging against the stairs.

Jasper did not look at the girl who made him fail his mission. "I have no heart, but that doesn't mean I have no ethics," he muttered, readjusting his hat. "When I exist fully again, I want to see my family, not the inside of a jail cell."

"Thank you," said Kairi, "for saving me." She ran off.

"You're welcome," Jasper replied. He watched her run off. Suddenly he was besieged by twenty shield-bearing knights and one Keyblade-bearing teenager. "Forget it, I'm out of bullets and potions!" he snapped.

"Forget it? What's that supposed to mean?" demanded Sora. "I thought you wanted to finish our duel!"

"Twenty one to one? Hardly a duel!" sneered the man. Then he vanished. Sora banged his weapon against the floor in frustration. Foiled again!

* * *

"We better leave as soon as possible, Your Majesty," Sora told King Mickey. The recovered mouse sat behind his desk in the Royal Library as the brown haired boy recounted what happened; nearby stood Kairi, Riku, Donald, and Goofy. 

"Aw ... are you sure? I feel great, y'know!" said the king. "I probably won't be able to fall asleep tonight. Hmmm."

"I insist, Your Majesty. You're safer without me around," replied Sora. He stared at the clear white marble of the floor. "It's not you he wants at all. It's me."

"No, not you," corrected Kairi. "Roxas." She knew, having witnessed both fights. Each time, Jasper's goal seemed to be to goad Sora to reckless rage - to make him give in to the darkness in his heart. Each time Sora gave in to anger and hate, he began to ... well, change, starting with his voice. Why was it that only she noticed?

"Right, Roxas ... " Sora closed his eyes. "I thought that was only in the dream." Guess Jasper was still pursuing his original goal, all this time.

"Twilight Town Roxas?" inquired Riku.

"No, the other Roxas."

"Oh."

"Oh! So that's why he crashed the Anniversary Celebration!" exclaimed Goofy, smacking a closed fist into an open palm. "He wanted t'use King Mickey as a red herring!"

"Or bait," shuddered Donald.

"Right. Had me fooled until it was too late," added Sora. He opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling. "For a while, I thought he was after me ... but that was a red herring too." He scolded himself for not remembering his dreams more clearly. _They could have yielded useful clues_.

"Now what? He's not going to come back to Disney Castle, is he?" wondered the duck magician. Despite not being a witness to today's scary events, he was the most unnerved member of all.

"No, he isn't," reassured Sora. "As long as I leave." They had to leave, at any rate. Tomorrow was a school day.

"We gotta keep in touch somehow," said King Mickey. He rubbed his chin with a gloved hand. "We need to share info on Jasper and the Nobodies, if new stuff comes up. And we still need to figure out how why you have the Keyblade."

"It's kinda obvious, isn't it?" commented Riku. "Sora now has to defeat the Nobodies, like he defeated the Heartless before." _And later Maleficent._

"I thought I already defeated the Nobodies," Sora tried to howl. It came out more like a meow. "I defeated Organization XIII ... didn't I?"

"There's still the government," said King Mickey.

"Right ... the government." Sora shuddered at mention of this semi - nonexistent entity (in more ways than one).mmThey knew so little about it. Hopefully, the three good fairies would yield useful info the next time they visit. When would be the next time they visit?

"How should we contact each other, Your Majesty?" asked Kairi.

"Simple! Remember how we contacted you about the Anniversary Celebration?" King Mickey grinned.

"Oh." Letter in a bottle: she tried it before, and it worked, even when she didn't know the exact identity of the recipient (Sora, back when she lacked memories of him). It took months for the letter to reach him. Maybe Disney Castle had magically prepared express bottles.

"What if that's not enough? What if we need to see each other? In person?" asked Riku. The older teen folded his hands.

Spurred, King Mickey thought long and hard for a away to provide a solution.

* * *

The provided solution was more than enough. It was totally awesome and was located in the garage. Being teenagers, the trio was very, very delighted to receive their very own mode of transportation, even if it wasn't a new car. "Our very own gummi ship!" exclaimed Sora, jumping up and down. 

The gummi ship was smaller than the one he used to travel worlds with Donald and Goofy, for it was recently developed model. The sweet, sleek machine looked more like a car than a gummi ship ... a car that could fly and travel between worlds. The three teens ooohed and ahhhed at its small but nimble make, at its red and yellow color scheme. Behold technological progress! This model had all the capabilities of last year's Highwind, at half the size!

"I hope it's not too small for ya," said Goofy. "It's very easy to handle, even though Max nearly crashed it on the test drive."

"No I didn't! I told you, I ran out of fuel!" Max protested. He immediately calmed down. "It has autopilot too," he explained. "You can go to and from Disney Castle automatically! Unless you want to drive yourself."

"Thanks!" all three teens exclaimed at once.

"Yeh got all your stuff? I know you probably have lots and lots of souvenirs to pack!" chuckled Goofy.

"Ah, I forgot. My souvenirs!" Sora dashed off at once to the guest bedroom, eager to collect the countless Main Street Electric Street Parade-themed shirts, banners, mugs, and roses he bought. He spent quite a lot of munny, more than the time he bought ethers in bulk to prepare for the Hades Cup.

"My notebook!" Kairi dashed off at once to the Royal Library, hoping that no nosy broom had gotten a peek at her drawings first.

"I better get my Math Analysis textbook." Riku hurried off too.

* * *

"Kairi? Why are you still here?" Kairi was in the library, sitting at the desk, poring over her pencilwork. 

"Oh! Hey Sora," waved the redhead. She let him join her at the desk. "Sorry about this, I lost track of time." Her tone grew thoughtful. "I was just thinking ... trying to make sense of what happened."

"You mean Jasper Reddison and the government?" The brown haired boy joined his friend at the desk, looking over her shoulder. Kairi didn't mind.

"Exactly," she replied. She looked down at her sketch of the white haired stranger. Who was this fellow? Did he exist? "I thought everything was done and settled when you guys came back to Destiny Islands. I thought you were free to live a normal life." She sighed. "What more does the Keyblade want of you?"

"I don't know," said Sora. He thought of his weapon, whose sacred purpose was to fight Heartless. Not Nobodies. "I won't know until I lose it ... for good." He had mixed feelings about that. On one hand, he was used to being the Keyblade Wielder; losing the Keyblade would be like losing a limb. On the other hand, it would be be wrong of him to keep it in longer than he was meant to, wouldn't it?

"Do you think Riku's right?" Kairi flipped to a blank page. "That you have to defeat the Nobodies? All of them?" There was a whole city full of them now!

"Nobodies are the result of Heartless, right?" Sora suggested. "Now that I've eliminated the Heartless, I have to eliminate their ... um, handiwork?"

"Not handiwork." Kairi gave Sora a disapproving look. "Victims."

"Victims?"

"They were people once," recited Kairi firmly. She seemed very sure of her opinion. "People who fell to the Heartless. People with family and friends. Having a strong will and heart prevented them from complete destruction ... but made them like this." She shuddered. So, they escaped death only to meet a fate worse than death, cursed into their current pseudo - existence.

Sora couldn't argue; he recalled saying something similar some time ago to Riku. How long ago? He had to agree. They were people once, no doubt about it. But do traces of those people exist in their Nobody halves? He wondered, "They were people once ... but are they people now?" Jasper Reddison, the assassin, may have originated from Jasper Reddison, the father of Rufaus. But surely, the two weren't the same person?

Kairi slammed shut her sketchbook. "Oh, Sora! Didn't you hear what Jasper said when he rescued me?"

Sora blinked and stepped back in surprise. "What?"

"_'I want to see my family.'_"

Sora looked unhappy. "He said something like that earlier. _'I miss my wife and son.'_" Or rather, he missed missing his wife and son.

"Oh, he was talking about Rufaus!" Kairi cried, bringing her hands to her mouth. "He wants to see Rufaus again!" How could she view someone who desires to see his son a non-person? A Nobody?

"Then why doesn't he instead of harassing me? And what's this about a wife?" Sora spat, then bit his tongue in shame. He didn't mean to be that mean.

"Maybe he thinks his wife survived. Maybe he doesn't consider himself worthy to see Rufaus," suggested Kairi. Not in his current form.

"Maybe he thinks they became Nobodies too, and thinks he can't recognize them in their Nobody forms," joked Sora. "Maybe he thought they became Dusks. Dusks all look the same -" Suddenly his face went pale and his stomach went cold. He killed a lot of Dusks on his last adventure. Were any of them Rufaus' mother?

"I know it's wrong for me to feel like this ... " murmured Kairi. "But I feel sorry for him. For Jasper."

"Jasper?" Sora asked in disbelief. The guy who nearly killed him? Or worse? Three times?

"He's a Nobody, but ... he - he saved me. That counts for something." Kairi's violet eyes fluttered closed in thought. "He's also Rufaus's dad ...'s Nobody, I mean. That ... that kinda puts a new spin on everything."

"I know." Human faces on Heartless attacks, right? Rould and Arleen ... they existed only in memories and missing person reports now. "I don't know if I can face Rufaus at school tomorrow ... " groaned Sora. "Every time I see him, it's gonna be like seeing Jasper. They look so much alike."

"You have to, Sora." Kairi gently touched Sora's shoulder. "He's innocent. He's my friend … and he's your friend too! He's a really smart person! Oh, do you think we should tell Rufaus about this?" Kairi's voice grew small in the huge, empty room. "About his dad, I mean."

Sora shook his head. "Riku and I talked it over. He said no, it would make things too complicated."

"Hmmph." Apparently she disagreed with Riku. Suddenly she piped up, "Sora, what's Rufaus' home address? I forgot."

That out-of-nowhere question hit Sora with the force of an red granny apple. "Why'd you ask?"

The little red haired girl smiled sweetly. "No reason. I gotta know all my friends' addresses, right?"

Shrugging, Sora gave her the address. Kairi copied it down in her notebook. Suddenly she jumped up and scanned the room worriedly like a rabbit scanning for wolves. "Hm? What's wrong?" asked the boy.

"I don't know." Kairi shuddered. _It was a mistake to ask for Rufaus' address here, in the library_, she thought. She should have waited until they were in the gummi ship. Why didn't she? "I thought ... I thought someone was listening," she stammered.

"Um ... I doubt it." Bored, Sora scanned the room. It was empty as usual. Even if someone had heard, why would he or she care about some guy's home address? On another world? "C'om, let's go. Riku's waiting." They went. Kairi gave the library one last glance, positive that someone - someone with red eyes and white hair - had heard and was glad to receive this new, potentially useful information. Not to their benefit.

* * *

It was a dark and empty room. It was the same room Sora and Kairi just left. 

"You failed."

Silence.

"You did not follow my commands. Instead, you created your own."

Still silence.

"If you had followed my commands, now Roxas would be here. What were you thinking, for Lars' sake?"

Instead of silence, a tart remark: "If I had followed your commands, Roxas would be here … and be extremely angrily, and would have sliced and diced us to ribbons!" Second-short silence. "We need him back of his own will."

"That made no sense. Even if it did, it would have made _what_ difference?"

"Xemnas had crazy recruitment standards, you know. With one exception, he picked Nobodies of the most ruthless and ambitious nature. He said it made for a better, more vigorous Organization. You ask me, maybe that's why it went to ruin." A snort, then an explanation: "You know how such folks are! Meet them in the wrong mood, it's goodbye you!"

"I thought Roxas to have been the exception."

"No, the exception was Demyx."

Long pause now. "Verily? Hmmph ... no surprise, I suppose."

"Xemnas needed someone who knew about computers and programming. Demyx's Other used to be a hacker as well as a musician, so into the Organization he went. Did you honestly think a Nobody like Demyx met Xemnas' standards?"

"Good point. What about Roxas? I thought Xemnas made an exception for him because he was a Keyblade Master. He needed one."

Shorter pause, then: "No ... no, I don't think so. Roxas was as ruthless as they come."

"Perhaps Xemnas lucked out. Perhaps he found a Nobody who was a Keyblade Master and matched his qualifications at the same time?" Silence came and loitered about for a few moments. It was interrupted by the sound of flipping paper.

"We're digressing. My point is, we can't force Roxas to come back. He has to want to come back, else he'll just kill us and turn back to Sora."

"Hence your conversion." Sound of a book snapping shut. "What about the fights? Either Roxas or Sora could have killed you." Sound of flipping paper resumed; the book was opened again.

"Roxas was a warrior. He was at his best in battle. Drawing him out through the spirit of conflict was... plan B."

Silence from the other end.

"It nearly worked, didn't it?" If it weren't for that strange girl …

Long silence. The frozen granite silence or disappointment and disapproval.

"Damn." A long sigh. "Am I fired?"

No answer. No worded answer, at least. One must assume the other person nodded ... or shook his head, or shrugged. Then that other person said, "Rufaus is alive."

"WHAT?!" A huge crash resounded throughout the room. Some furniture must have toppled over.

"He lives on the same city as Sora now … just thought you'd like to know."

"Rufaus ... Rufaus is alive? He's really alive?" Shuffling sounds: the fallen furniture was being set back up. "You're not lying?"

"Yeah. He's fine and whole."

"This is ... this is ... wait! Wh - what about Josephine? Is she alive?"

"No."

A deep breath, then: "Damn. Rufaus is probably stuck with Thaddeus. I wouldn't trust my brother to look after anything that's not furry or on four legs."

"Here's his home address, if you're interested. And here's your book. Thank you."

"Ah, Ignorance. Did you like it?"

"How should I know? I don't have a heart for fiction. I know is it to be curiously structured, but that is all. And which was the protagonist: Irina or Josef?"

"His home address…" Thunk, scrunch: sound of a two things being held against a chest: a novel, and a scrap of paper that had the power to mimic emotion in its current holder. As well as the power to implement a new plan...

* * *

The girl shivered. "What's wrong, Kairi?" asked the boy next to her.

Kairi could only shrug her shoulders. "I don't know ... I guess I'm a bit chilly."

"Okay." Sora rapped at the backside of the diver's seat. "Riku! Turn down the AC."

"It's not on - ack! Geez, Sora! I'm driving. I need to be careful here!" Indeed, he must. Riku nearly ran the gummi ship into a medium-sized meteorite. This model had no weapons, see. There was no way to blast away incoming obstacles.

"How come you get to drive?" pouted Sora as he sank back in his seat.

"I'm the oldest and the only one with a license." Actually a student training license, but Riku conveniently ignored that factoid.

"Not good enough! You know I've piloted many times with Donald and Goofy," insisted Sora.

"Exactly. And now it's my turn."

"He's right," agreed Kairi. "I think he's doing fine." The redhead shifted in her seat. "I get to drive it one day, right?" She never before boarded a gummi ship in her life, now that she thought about it. "You'll train me?" she asked hopefully. The cabin no longer felt chilly. It probably never was. Then what made her shiver?

"Hey, wouldn't it be great to visit Radiant Garden? Now that we have a ship, we can!" Sora suggested. Brightened by his brilliant suggestion, she vigorously nodded.

The gummi ship continued on home.


	14. Chapter 13

_**What is betrayal? Betrayal means breaking ranks. Betrayal means breaking ranks and going off into the unknown.**_

_Roxas broke rank and marched off perpendicular to the others, going off into the unknown. The others gasped and voiced their disapproval._

"_Traitor!"_

"_Roxas, how could you!"_

"_Roxas! Return at once! We need you!"_

_He ignored their cries. He wasn't the one at fault; they were. Their goal was to restore everyone's hearts, right? Then come how they never told him about his heart until nearly a year had passed? If his heart could be restored sooner … why not? He shouldn't have to wait._

_That, and he suspected the leader was leading them nowhere._

_Alone, he traversed the unknown, searching for his heart. He knew that it was somewhere, safe, stored away, waiting for him to take it. Someplace nearby, hopefully. Then he would be whole, and he'd go straight to Twilight Town and make friends with Pence and Olette and Hayner, and participate in Struggle, and ... _

_He had to reach it fast, before it regained its memories and became in independent entity again. More vitally, he had to reach it before it became active and gain the chance to subsume him, instead of the other way around. He was sure that his previous self did not reside in Twilight Town, nor was friends with Hayner, Pence, or Olette. _

_He hung on to that dream too long to let it go, damnit._

_While exploring the grasslands, he passed the circle of dancers again; apparently the dancers had completely forgotten about him. Yes, even the ones who were next to him. The other him, that is. Oh well, good break for him. If they couldn't remember him, they wouldn't miss him. _

_**His voice always used to be there...but now it's gone. I can't think of his face, or his name. I feel awful about it. **_

_Fine, maybe they would! Too bad. He ought to care, but he lacked the heart to. He continued on and didn't look back. _

_The question was this: do Nobodies desire to become their previous selves, or entirely new selves? In his case, it was the latter. His was probably a rare case, he supposed. Memories were the deciding factor. If he had memories of his former self, then yeah ... maybe he wouldn't mind becoming his former self. But it was probably that he would never get his original memories back, even if he gets his original heart back. Instead, he had memories of hanging around Twilight Town and being driven to frustration by his inability to exist in it. Ah, his desire to live Twilight Town ... it was just as strong as his desire to acquire a heart. It was the basis of his desire to acquire a heart in the first place. _

_As stated before, he hung on to that dream too long... _

_Suddenly a tremor rocked the ground, and he stopped to rebalance himself and keep himself from falling. The ground continued to shake ... no, it was not just the ground. The whole world was making an earthquake, as though someone from on high was shaking the universe on its shoulder... _

"Sora ... Sora!"

Kairi shook Sora until the latter opened his eyes. "Um ... huh?" the brunet murmured drowsily.

"You fell asleep on the ride back, lazy bum," she grinned. "Look outside. We're right outside your house!"

Indeed they were, parked on the front curb. It was night, and no one was out. Good thing there was no one around to witness an otherworldly vehicle parked in front of Sora's house! UFO MADE OUT OF JELL-O LIKE SUBSTANCE, the tabloids could have cried.

"Oh ... that's good. G'nite Kairi," murmured Sora, more alert now. "Um ... where's Riku parking this?"

"Ooooh ... good point. Hey Riku!" Kairi stood up and leaned over to the driver's seat. "Where are you going to park this?"

"In my parents' garage?" Riku looked at her as though nothing was wrong with his solution. He was tired from driving so long, who could blame him?

"And what excuse are you gonna give your parents?" she asked suspiciously.

Riku's apathy became horror. "Oh ... oh no! Okay…" He thought hard and fast for a quick alternative: "I'll park it in Sora's garage."

"Whoa, wait a sec! No way!" cried Sora, fully awake now. "My garage can't fit three cars! It can hardly fit two!"

"Crap, you're right," muttered Riku, squeezing the bridge of his nose in frustration and mimicking Leon. "Um ... does anyone know of a nearby public parking garage? A - a cheap one?"

Kairi did. Later, at a parking garage downtown...

"What the dilly - oh?" pondered Thaddeus Reddison.

The middle-aged, massive-girthed veterinarian could not place which brand or make was the strange, red and yellow vehicle parked near to his 2006 BMW M6. Maybe it was one of those wacky hybrids he read about in _New Scientist_. Whoever owned it (probably a teenager, he assumed), Thaddeus hoped he or she was not doing drugs. The car's design looked ... tripped out. Out of this world. Something only a teenager would appreciate.

"Kids. Can't wait for the world to invent cloning," he snorted, and went to his own car. As soon as he left, three youths popped up like groundhogs from behind the strange car's hood.

"That must be Thaddeus Reddison," said Riku.

"Is it just me, or is he fatter than the last time I met him?" wondered Kairi.

"I wonder if my dream was true. I wonder if he really is a bad parent," fretted Sora.

Sora fretted about other things too. Was that the real Roxas he dreamed about? Whatever happened to the Roxas who told him to "look sharp!"? The Roxas who was willing to merge with him? Surely, that version of Roxas wasn't a figment of someone's mind ... was he?

* * *

Rufaus was happy to see Sora at school on Monday. Exuberant, in fact. The guy dashed right up to the surprised brunet like a kitten at the sight of its owner carrying a can of cat food. The fancy kind. "Great news!" he exclaimed. "Guess what?" 

"What?" the other boy wondered. What was up with the new guy's behavior? Surely his classmate would be upset, not delighted, that he was not around at all during the weekend. His parents were quite upset that he "went off on a camping trip" without their knowledge or a way that they could contact him. Surely, Rufaus would have been the same.

"Remember last Saturday when you came over? You said the word … 'Heartless.'"

"Yeah?"

The new guy's speech was a string of hurried words: "This weekend I visited the downtown library. Iwanted to visit you, but you weren't home. Kairi wasn't home either, so I had nothing to do. Then I remembered the word, 'Heartless.' I decided to look it up at the library. You won't believe what I found!"

"What?" Sora thought he sounded like a malfunctioning voice recorder.

"Heartless!" Rufaus said it as though he shared a sacred secret. "I found some books all about them. You won't believe how entrenched the Heartless are in local mythology!" Now he sounded like a sped-up tape. "There's this founding myth about how the original settlers of Destiny Islands left their homeland because it was overrun by Heartless and -"

"Heartless? Books? Destiny Islands?" Sora looked around him nervously, wondering if anyone else heard. Most were gossiping among themselves. Riku was gone. Kairi was coming over. Rufaus grinned and waved at her. She waved back. Sora gulped. Was Rufaus going to tell her about his so-called secret?

"Hi, Rufaus," the girl greeted gently as she came over. "Listen, I know you called Saturday night. My mom told me when I came back -"

"You were away, I know," replied Rufaus. "Away all weekend. With Sora and Riku."

"How did you-?" Kairi raised a hand to her mouth. How did he know so much?

"I guessed," shrugged Rufaus, matter-of-fact. "It wasn't the first time you went off like that. Also, the three of you are long-time friends, so you plan all your outings together, I bet. In secret. Am I right?"

"Riku did most the planning," mumbled Sora, thinking about a raft.

"Rufaus, you're such a detective!" exclaimed Kairi.

"No I'm not. Sora helped," answered Rufaus. "You were right about him, Kairi. He is wonderful to be around once you get past his naiveté."

"Told you so," she teased. Then she wondered, "Naiveté?"

"You're not going to ask us where we went … are you?" Sora pondered out loud, worried. _We never did finalize an alibi_, he remembered. Let their parents and friends guess on their own, indeed! Rufaus guessed, and Rufaus got too close.

"Please?" added Kairi at once.

Rufaus looked like he was on the verge of a question, then nodded in defeat. "Alright. Say, Sora … do you want to come over after school?"

"Sure. To hang out?" asked the brunet.

"You can say that. I … we only hung out once before, so -"

"Sure! Thanks!" Sora was all too glad that Rufaus seemed to have forgotten about Heartless when Kairi came over. _Maybe I can ask to see the books he saw on the Heartless. Maybe I'm thinking too much on them. _

Kairi smiled. "You two play nice. I'm going to see if the classroom door's open." With a turn of the heel, she left the boys alone. Sora wondered exactly what she was smiling about when Rufaus tapped him on the shoulder.

"Huh?"

"Thank you for helping me with my promises," whispered Rufaus. He sounded so serious right then, so somber. "One of them, I mean. The one about finding out what happened to my parts. The Heartless are a start, even if just a myth. I'm sad and glad at the same time. Does that make sense?"

Sora didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. _I'm going to have to tell Kairi and Riku about this. He think it's all fiction, but what if he finds out it's true? What about other worlds? They're supposed to be a secret. _

Then the bell rang. They went in together, two friends, two classmates, two fifteen year olds connected by a secret word: Heartless.

* * *

"What's Ignorance?" 

"Excuse me?" Riku looked up from his math textbook. "What is what?"

"Ignorance," said Kairi. "The front desk's too busy. You're as good as anyone."

"Can't help you here," apologized the older boy. "Ignorance? Sounds philosophical."

The younger girl nodded. "Yeah. I thought it might be in the philosophy section. But it isn't. What do you think?"

"We have a philosophy section at the school library? No way." Riku resumed his studying. Kairi was left on her own. She walked away, chewing her lip. _Now what?_ The front desk was stacked up with a million other problems, and she knew no one else in the library who could help her...

"Kairi?" It was Rufaus. "You said something about Ignorance?"

The girl nodded. Without a word, Rufaus reached into his backpack and pulled out a slim blue book … titled Ignorance. Kairi nearly squealed; it looked exactly like in her imagination! Right down to the font and icon on the cover! "Where did you get that?" she urgently whispered.

"Um ... it was my dad's," said Rufaus. He offered the book to Kairi. "I can lend it to you, if you want."

"Thank you!" Kairi greedily grabbed it and flipped through it. Finally, the mystery of the book was solved! So, it existed in real life! It wasn't a figment from her imagination - wait ... it was not a philosophical work. "Huh? This is fiction."

"Yeah, one of Kundera's newest novels," explained Rufaus. "I told you about him, remember? Like how my dad used to read his stuff all the time ... um, Kairi? Is something wrong?"

Kairi shook her head no, but in her mind, she knew that something indeed was wrong. Jasper Reddison used to read Milan Kundera. The man in the library was reading Milan Kundera. Thus, the man in library was connected to Jasper Reddison. _Was the man in the library Jasper's employer...?_

* * *

_What is kitsch?_

_  
__**Kitsch excludes everything from its purview which is essentially unacceptable in human existence.**_

_  
Does that include Nobodies?_

_  
__**A Nobody doesn't have a right to know. Nor does it even have the right to be.**__**  
**_

_No, even though Nobodies were unacceptable to existence, let alone human existence. Nobodies don't act kitschy. They aren't sentimental. Kitsch comes from the pits from human nature, from the impulses of the heart. Nobodies aren't human and they lack hearts._

_  
So ... Nobodies don't count. What about destiny?_

_  
__**In kitsch ... all answers are given in advance and preclude any questions.**_

_  
No, even though destiny is all about giving answers about all that shall happen in one's life. Questions are raised. Why did destiny choose him to wield the Keyblade, and not another? What does destiny want with him as Keyblade Master, now that he still has the Keyblade? That sort of crap._

_  
__**Kitsch is the absolute denial of**__ ... crap_, to fill in for a ruder word. Sora refused to use the ruder word.

These were Sora's thoughts as he traveled sat on the bus. It was long ride; he had a long time to think. Thoughts of Rufaus turned to thoughts of the books Rufaus gave Sora to read: The Book of Laughter and Forgetting and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Both were by the author Milan Kundera. They were strange books to Sora, not suited to his tastes.

Kundera was a permanent exile from his homeland. _Maybe that's why Rufaus likes him_, thought Sora. Rufaus, too, was also an exile ... from his life in Kismet. Surely, his present life wasn't that unhappy?

"Hey Sora," welcomed an unhappy Rufaus when Sora arrived at the second floor of the apartment complex.

"What's wrong?"

"Uncle Thaddeus." Rufaus' face was twisted into a slight scowl. "He sent me out to get the mail. Why he doesn't go get it himself is beyond me. It's only one floor down, and he could use the exercise. I'll let you in first."

"No, I'll accompany you," volunteered Sora.

A grateful Rufaus was followed by Sora as the two boys went down to ground level (via the stairs), where a row of locker-like mailboxes were attached to the wall. Rufaus fingered the one numbered 128, and gave a short curse as he searched his pockets. "Oh no! I forgot my key! Damn it!"

Sora felt his pain. He thought back to the time he lost his crystal orb and everyone else held theirs up to the light ... wait, which memory was this? Oh well, he had an idea. "Maybe you dropped it on the floor on the way. Search the stairs," he suggested.

"Gah! I hope not," fumed the blue haired boy as he dashed to the stairwell.

As soon as he was gone, Sora whipped out his Keyblade and shot a beam of light at P. O. Box #128. _Click!_ Sora then dismissed his weapon. All this occurred in the span of seconds. "Never mind! It's already open!" he called.

"Oh, my god! It is!" cried Rufaus as he dashed back. "What crazy mailman leaves a mailbox unlocked?"

"Someone who gave us good luck," said Sora as he pried open the metal container. Inside were this month's subscriptions of _Dog Fancy_, _Cat Fancy, Horse Fancy, Canary Fancy, DSSPCA Today, Animal Lovers_, and bills addressed to Dr. Thaddeus Reddison.

Also inside were three brown paper packages tied up with strings.

"What on earth?" gasped Rufaus before taking them out, brushing aside magazines and letters. He yelped when he inspected their labels. "They're for me? And you! And Kairi!"

"For m - me? And Kairi?" mumbled Sora, dumbstruck.

The other guy nodded as he lifted the packages. "It has your names on them," he said. "So … let's open them up inside."

Rufaus carried the packages and Sora the magazines and bills as the two went back up. They found the mailbox key on the top step of the stairs. At the apartment…

"Hi, uncle."

"Hey, Rufaus! Who's the kid?"

"This is Sora, uncle," responded Rufaus as he introduced the brown-haired teen to the grey-haired man. "He's a friend from school."

Thaddeus grinned like a cheeky monkey. "A friend! See?" he touted. "'You'll make new friends,' I said. Remember? And I was right! Am I? Eh? Eh?"

Rufaus rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes you are."

Thaddeus wasn't finished. "Remember what else I said? 'You're going to school.' If you hadn't gone to school you wouldn't have made new friends. Not as bad as you thought, huh?"

"Not as horrible as I thought, I suppose. But…"

"But nothing. Family knows best." With that, the middle-aged man returned to reading last month's issue of _Cat Fancy_.

Sora wondered where he heard this conversation before. _From a dream_, he realized, his eyes widening. So, such words really were once exchanged between uncle and nephew. Hoping to disguise his unease, he announced, "Here's your issue of Dog Fancy, and Cat Fancy, and Canary Fancy, and DSSPCA Today, and Animal Lovers!" as he ceremoniously laid out each issue on the kitchen table. Then he dumped the bills in an unceremonious pile and rejoined his friend.

"You didn't have to do that," said Rufaus as Sora rejoined him.

"Sure I do," said Sora. "He's your uncle, isn't he?"

"He's okay," said Rufaus. "He's better than Grandma, I'm grateful for that. When I lived with her, it was hell! It's just that … well, he never wanted to be a parent, so he's … oblivious of me, most of the time. That's just the way he is."

"I see…"

"That and he's very, very sloppy."

When they entered Rufaus' bedroom, Rufaus laid the three packages out on his bed. Each was spaced a foot apart. Each waited expectantly to be opened, like Christmas presents, or floating weapons from a dream featuring stained glass windows. Outwardly, they weren't much, just beige cardboard boxes. It was what they promised inside that mesmerized the two boys. "Do you think we should open Kairi's?" asked Sora.

"Never mind that, who do you think sent these?" pondered Rufaus.

"Your friends?"

The other guy shook his head. "Doubt it. Caylan can't afford to send something like this. And Lisset's more likely to send gift cards or cash in envelopes. Stuff like that."

Sora's ears pricked up at mention of Caylan and Lisset. He heard those names once ... in his dream at Disney Castle! So, Caylan and Lisset were real people? "Then ... maybe your grandma, or your other uncle?" he suggested.

"Hah!" Rufaus gave a decisive chuckle. "My grandmother wouldn't send me anything! I don't know about Uncle Septimus, though. I don't think so. He once said he was too busy to celebrate even his birthday."

"Your other uncle's a lawyer, right?" Sora asked to hide his discomfort. So, the other uncle was named Septimus. Just like in the dream.

"Yeah. I think he specializes in inheritance issues. Estate planning." Eager to change the subject, Rufaus picked up the package addressed to him and peeled it open. Sora watched intently. Suddenly Rufaus slowed his movements, awed. In super slow motion he lifted its contents:

Three paperbacks: they constituted a trilogy, judging from their matching covers.  
A cookbook: it specialized in deserts and sweets.  
A new saucepan: small and made of stainless steel.

Rufaus particularly liked the saucepan. "Look at this! Just what I need!" he hooted, lifting up the saucepan by the handle. "I needed one! I can't wait to try out the cookbook with this! And look, Sora! Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars. I've always wanted to read this! Have you heard of the author?"

"Nope. That's nice," said Sora, "but who sent them?"

Dropping the saucepan, Rufaus retrieved a slim blue card from the box. He nearly dropped it. "Dad sent them," he stammered.

Incredulous, Sora plucked the card from his hand and scanned it. This was what it read, in large neat handwriting:

_To my wonderful son:_

_  
I live, and I think about you all the time. You are the hope of my life and the goal towards which I strive every day. Hopefully I can return soon, circumstances willing. Be patient and prepared. If fortune shines down on us (you, me, and your mom), we'll move back to Kismet and pick up where things left off. Be kind to others, for you are my representative here on earth._

_  
Love, Dad._

"That … that's my dad's handwriting," Rufaus explained, his voice shaking. "I - I'd recognize it anywhere. I … I have to see what he sent Kairi!" Sora didn't object when Rufaus tore open her package like a kitten tearing into a mouse. These are its contents:

A new sketchpad: 200 pages, made from 100 recycled, acid-free paper.  
A set of 200 colored pencils: Colleen Pencil Co, Ltd. was its brand.  
A book on drawing: How to Draw Fantasy and Fairy Creatures, read its title.

"Pretty appropriate," said Rufaus. "Kairi likes to draw, since I see her drawing in her sketchbook often - hey, another note?" Sure enough, in this box was also a note. Unlike Rufaus', it was white. It read:

_To Naminé:  
_

_People used to say you were the most unfortunate of young women. This is now a lie, for here you live, among friends and family. You are the most fortunate young woman of which I know. May you continue to be fortunate, your friends continue to thrive, and your art continue to improve. Be happy, I can ask no more of you. _

_  
Sincerely, a Stranger._

"Naminé?" inquired Rufaus. He gave Sora a questioning look. "How weird. Can you help with this?"

After a spell, Sora found his voice. It was cowering in the back of his throat, nearly stuck in his lungs. "Uh, Naminé was a ... um, a nickname Kairi used to use, yeah ... we better give it to her tomorrow. What about mine?"

"Here." Rufaus handled Sora his present like it was made of delicate crystal. "It's yours. You open it."

"Oh. Okay…" Slowly, carefully, hesitantly, Sora untied the strings, peeled back the paper, and opened the top. Holding his breath, he reached inside. He left something ... cool and smooth. Rufaus let out a small gasp when Sora lifted up his present – a piece of clothing - and held it against his body.

"Awesome!" the other boy cheered. "That's the coolest raincoat I've seen, ever!"

Indeed, it was a full-length raincoat. It was made of black leather, and it had long narrow sleeves, a silver chain and drawstrings, and a hood. It was an Organization XIII coat, in other words. _What kind of sick joke is this?_ Sora wanted to scream. Instead he said, "Yeah, I'd say. Nifty, neat ... I don't have a raincoat of my own."

"Try it on," Rufaus suggested. "I want to see how it looks."

"W - what?"

"C'mon, no harm done … unless wearing a raincoat indoors is bad luck on Destiny Islands." Rufaus looked worried for a moment. "Is it?"

"No. No problem, I ... wow, it fits perfectly." The coat slipped on easier than Sora ever imagined. The brunet looked at himself in the full length mirror lying against a wall. From the neck down, he looked almost exactly like his Nobody self.

"It looks good on you," approved Rufaus.

_Almost too good_, thought Sora, gazing at his reflection. _It's like my Nobody is starting back at me. _Suddenly his Nobody, not a reflection, really was starting back at him with a characteristic angry glare. Roxas seemed pissed, like he'd prefer for Sora and him to switch positions. Sora blinked twice in shock. Then Roxas was gone, his own startled reflection looking back at him.

"Is something wrong?" asked Rufaus on the bed.

"No! Nothing," Sora stammered as he quickly freed himself from his coat. He reached into his box and pulled out the offending note he knew was inside. His note was black. It read:

_To Roxas:_

_  
Please come back._

_  
Sincerely, Jasper Reddison._

_  
_"What's it say?" inquired Rufaus. He was flipping through the cookbook and book-marking some pages, using strips of brown wrapper paper as bookmarks.

"Um … same thing as Kairi's. You're a lucky boy, live well, yadda yadda, stuff like that," the brunet lied. Sora was glad Rufaus was reading the cookbook and not looking up at his uncomfortable, telltale face.

"Kairi's note addressed her as Naminé," said Rufaus, still reading his cookbook. "What about yours?"

"Roxas." Darn! He forgot to lie!

"Roxas?" Rufaus looked up from his book with mirthful black eyes. "That's a funny name. It's just your name remixed with an X. Sounds neat, though." He snapped his book shut. "Talk about weird iterations." It seemed as though he was daring Sora to change his name to Roxas. Sora did not notice.

Sora didn't know what "iteration" meant, so addled was his mind. He just kept his mouth shut as he piled his new coat back in the box and threw the crumpled black note into the nearest wastebasket. "I'll give Kairi her presents tonight," said the brunet. He walked swiftly to the door. "C'mon, let's go out."

Rufaus wasn't listening. His euphoria over the coat now spent, his interest in the cookbook momentarily subsided, he looked on the blue note with all his might. "Dad's alive," he whispered. "I can't believe it! Everyone was wrong." He gulped. "_I_ was wrong, Sora. I stopped believing in him being alive. Him and Mom."

"Rufaus…" _He's not your dad._ Sora pitied him.

"Everyone … the police, my grandma and uncles, my neighbors, even Caylan and Lisset … everyone believed they had to be dead. I believed too," Rufaus continued in a small voice. "I - I … I let himself go all cynical. Am I, Sora?"

"No! Of course not!" Sora protested. "I mean … well, what makes you think so?"

Rufaus, not hearing his last sentence, murmured, "Dad never stopped believing in reaching me. He succeeded, see? With the presents. But I stopped believing in him being alive. How could I do something like that, his own son?"

"You're_ his_ son. All that matters to him," consoled Sora, "is that you love him, and that he loves you." _He only pretends to, though, since he's a Nobody. Wait, why am I defending Jasper?_

Rufaus nodded. "Yes … I can see with the note." He put it on his desk, next to his bed. He sighed. "I ought to be happy. But I'm worried … worried for Dad. He's alive … but is he okay? Is he safe? Where is he?"

Time to steer his friend's mind away from dad-related matters. "Don't think about that," Sora urged. "Don't think. Your dad doesn't want you to be sad when he meant to make you happy."

Rufaus nodded warily. "Right … don't look a gift horse in the mouth and all that." He climbed off the bed and joined Sora at the door. "Downtown, huh? Where do you want to hang out?"

"Uh…" Sora never thought it over.

Rufaus didn't even need to think it over. "How about Gladstone Library? I can show you the books I found on the Heartless!"

* * *

The books were less scary than Sora expected. They were scary nonetheless. 

Sora expected frightening, blasphemous-looking tomes made of black leather, annotated by cloaked schemers, and decorated in cursed symbols. He expected books of vile darkness, not … dark brown, musty-looking reference books. Maybe these books were really were encyclopedias on island mythology … were not for their effect on his friend. "See? This stuff is way too intriguing to be fiction!" raved Rufaus as he pointed to an illustration on a page. "I can't get enough of it! Oooh, look at this!" He pointed to an illustration of a Heartless.

Sora recognized the illustration as that of a Neo Shadow. "You get all this?"

"No, not all," admitted his friend. "But the parts I do get … they just make me want to understand those other parts more." He turned a page, revealing arcane, esoteric text. "Like this part. And this part." He turned another page, revealing more arcane text.

Sora squinted at the deluge of words. "Huh?"

"These books were written back when people actually believed in Heartless," mused Rufaus. "Maybe they had a very good reason too. Maybe there were a series of disappearances then, too." He turned alert black eyes at Sora. "While the Heartless themselves aren't real … the destruction and disappearances on which they are based certainly are."

Sora wondered where his friend was going with this. "You mean … your parents? Oh … you mean the newspaper clippings!" _Myde, Rould, and Arleen._

Rufaus nodded. "Right. I'm the edge of something here, I know it. If I can figure all this out … then I can figure about the truth behind the Heartless. What forces led to the creation of the Heartless myth?" His black eyes gleamed. "This might be the key to knowing what happened to my parents!"

Sora felt a chill. "What … what do _you_ think is behind the Heartless?"

"Not sure yet … something about hearts and darkness." Rufaus flipped through more pages. "The Heartless are darkness in hearts made manifest, so it goes. Sounds metaphorical. But … what causes darkness to manifest in hearts? That seems to be the key to everything…"

Sora felt a very strong chill. _Why … why did that sound familiar? _

_Darkness...  
Darkness of the Heart._

_How is it born?  
How does it come to affect us so?_

_I must find the answers._

_I must solve the mystery of this "darkness of the heart."_

Rufaus knew disturbingly much about hearts and darkness. Too much, in fact. _This is not good_, Sora thought. The last person who wanted to know all he could on such topics was Xehanort himself!


	15. Chapter 14

"Jasper did WHAT?!"

"Sent me art supplies?"

Kairi and Riku stared at the exhibits on the bed. Earlier that night, Sora told them over the phone to come over right way, because he had something urgent to say and important to show. He was right on both matters. As the two looked over the various presents, Sora explained how he received them - from Jasper Reddison via Rufaus Reddison.

Riku was livid, and not because he wasn't given a present. "This is an outrage!" the older teen ranted. He paced back and forth, then stopped and rubbed his forehead. "How could he do something like this? This is worse than your dreams."

"You really think so?" wondered Sora. He sat on his bed, drawing his knees close, gazing at the black raincoat on his pillow.

"No, not worse. Just different," countered Kairi, sitting at Sora's desk. She picked up the sketchpad. "At least he's sincere."

"Sincere?" Riku asked incredulously.

"Well ... I'm sure he means what he put here," Kairi explained as she looked at her note. It wasn't the first time she read it. _To __Naminé_

"Kairi's right," agreed Sora. He blinked at the black coat. "Jasper meant everything he sent." _ Please come back._

He felt something press down on his mattress, and turned his head and saw Riku sitting next to him, worry reflected in his aquamarine eyes. "Is it?" his best friend asked softly. "Is it worse than your dreams?" Riku patted Sora's shoulder.

"No ... just different," said Sora. "In my dreams, I was afraid I wouldn't wake up as me. Here, I'm already wake, but ... well, see for yourself." The brunette looked at the coat again. He had found matching gloves, boots, and pants in his box; he had a complete Organization outfit in his box. The two boxes were under his bed.

"So, you're saying life is like your dreams right now," said Riku. So this was worse … a waking dream. He glared at the coat. "We know what we have to do."

"What?"

"Burn them."

"WHAT?" Sora and Kairi yelled together.

Riku nodded. "Jasper's trying to manipulate you again, Sora. Last time with dreams, this time with gifts. Destroying these gifts is the only way to tell him to lay off." _All Nobodies are the same_, he thought bleakly, _except for Naminé_. _They lack hearts, so they mess with other people's hearts! _Like what happened to Sora in Castle Oblivion. This Jasper Reddison was persistent, if predictable.

"Burn them?" Sora repeated stupidly. He looked at his - erm, _Roxas'_ coat.

"Yes, we-"

"We can't burn them!" Kairi protested, standing up. "What about Rufaus?"

"What about him?"

"They're from Rufaus too," the girl insisted. "In a way. Rejecting these would be like rejecting him."

"Why would that be? He has nothing to do with this."

"He's Jasper's son! He's my friend!" she stated, hugging her new sketchbook to her chest. _Just like Naminé used to_, thought Riku.

"Mine too," quipped Sora.

Riku didn't say anything for a while. Then he said, "Well, he's not my friend. I don't even know him."

"Riku…" Kairi objected softly. But she knew it was true; Riku didn't know the new guy like she and Sora did. The two shared no classes or interests, and had no chances or reasons to interact (so far). _But I made friends with him easily enough. And Sora … Sora makes friends with everyone._ But Riku and Rufaus … they've barely met. Riku wasn't even given a gift.

"Riku…" mimicked Sora softly. He stretched out his legs, touching the coat with his left big toe. What could he say? Rufaus thought the gifts were simply that. "Kairi's right. Rufaus would be ... he would be upset if we destroyed the gifts." _Rufaus thinks this is just a cool raincoat_, he thought dully. Destroying the coat would affect him more than Jasper.

Riku frowned. "That Jasper. So now he's using his Other's son as a pawn," he spat.

"Riku!" Kairi shouted, offended.

"I said _'Other.'_ I'm not insulting Rufaus or his dad!" insisted Riku. "His real dad's dead! Jasper wasn't sincere when he sent these, you know. Like I said, he's trying to make Sora feel guilty again." _Like two weeks ago. Trying to pass himself off as a father with a heart with these ruses - just like a Nobody!_ "You're not going to fall for this, are you Sora?"

"So he wasn't sincere when he saved me?" interjected Kairi, hands on her hips.

Good comeback! Riku's gaze softened. Jasper threatened Sora but rescued Kairi: talk about contradictions. "Oh. I guess ... I guess I can't explain that," he confessed.

But Sora could: "Jasper's beef is with me. No one else. He doesn't want others to get involved or hurt." He was using his "serious" voice again, like he did in the Royal Library. This made Riku and Kairi pay attention. "That's why he rescued Kairi. That's why he used sleeping serum on King Mickey." That way, he never had to harm the king ... while making it _look_ as though he wanted to harm him, and severely! _All just to provoke me._ Sora shuddered. Talk about manipulation. No manipulations this time, though. "Jasper's being sincere. He wants Rufaus to know he's alive, he wants Naminé ... um, Kairi to be happy, and he wants me to turn back into Roxas," sighed Sora. "Everything's up front."

"He wants Naminé to be happy?" wondered Riku.

"Well, Naminé got to be whole, right?" suggested Kairi, pointing at herself. "I guess he's happy for her."

"You'd think he'd be jealous."

"Oh, Riku." Kairi looked forlorn, her theory deflated. "How could you think that?"

"Nobodies lack empathy," Riku explained. "It comes with the lack of hearts. He can't feel happy for you, even if he knows he ... his _Other_ would." Riku bit his tongue. He almost the same mistake Sora and Kairi made.

"Maybe that's what the note is for," Kairi declared. "I see nothing wrong with my gift. I'm going to thank Rufaus tomorrow." She accepted her gifts by placing them on her lap. Riku gave up by going silent. There was no arguing with Kairi; the girl had an indomitable will. And no common sense; couldn't she see the danger? But _she_ had nothing to fear. Jasper wanted Roxas, not Naminé.

Meanwhile, Sora slowly got up and crawled to the black coat. To him, burning the coat was out of the question; it would upset Rufaus (and Kairi). Besides, Roxas hung out with Axel often, right? The Flurry of Dancing Flames? The coat was probably fireproof.

"It's your call," said Riku, derailing his train of thoughts. "What are you gonna do?"

"I ... I'm just gonna shove it in under my bed," said Sora. He felt indecisive, a feeling he detested. Riku and Kairi nodded in approval.

"We have to write to Mickey about this," said Kairi. "I'll sent a letter by bottle."

"Good idea. Tell him to contact Yen Sid," said Riku. If anyone (living) was able to figure out Nobody thought patterns, the famed sorcerer should.

"We ought to write to Mickey about Rufaus, too," quipped Sora. "Like … advice on how to deal with him, and … stuff." _Like how to save him from himself. Some_ things weren't meant to be known, and some people weren't meant to know. _Like Xehanort, Braig, Dilan, Even, and the rest._

"Like if we should tell him about his father?" Riku shook his head. "No."

"Rufaus has a right to know what happened to his parents!" countered Kairi angrily.

Riku shook his head again. "If Rufaus ever finds out about the Heartless, the knowledge will break him. He's not strong … he won't survive the trauma."

"Riku!"

"But it's true."

_Actually, it made him very happy. But he wants to know more_, thought Sora. _I have to tell Riku and Kairi about__Rufaus and the books somehow. _

Meanwhile, his friends were in the throes of argument. "Jasper revealed himself to Rufaus with the packages," said Kairi. "We might as well follow up with the truth."

"He never revealed himself. He revealed a fake image of himself," countered Riku.

"Fake? What are you talking about?"

"He doesn't want to ruin his precious fatherly image in front of his son, right? His feelings for Rufaus are faked, you must know that."

"He … Jasper's his _father_! A father can't fake his feelings towards his son!"

"Now he can, now that he's a Nobody."

_This is weird … usually Riku and I butt heads, and Kairi steps in._ Now Sora had to take over her role. "Uh, guys?" he asked. "Um … what about …"

Kairi turned her head, glad not to argue. "Yeah?"

What to say next? That Rufaus might be on the verge of doom? That he, spurred by desire for knowledge, to conquer knowledge … suddenly Sora did not want to talk. He did not want to hear Riku badmouth Rufaus, his friend. He did not want to hear Kairi defend Jasper, his enemy. "What about putting all this off until tomorrow?"

Her violet eyes were filled with empathy. "Today was really tiring, huh?" Her face brightened again. "Get some rest. Tomorrow's a new day." As quietly as possible, she got up, her present in tow, and went out the door. "Good night."

"Good night," echoed Riku.

Exit, stage left! Chance to talk about Rufaus and the books, lost until tomorrow. "We should watch and wait until we write to King Mickey," mused Sora. "Personally … I think Rufaus can survive. Then again, I still don't know much about him."

"We don't know _anything _about him," huffed Riku.

* * *

Sora woke up to find grey skies and piles of raindrops falling down heavily and relentlessly outside his bedroom window. "Uh - oh," he muttered. To wear or not to wear? That was his dilemma. 

Wearing the raincoat wasn't going to turn him into Roxas; he tried it on before and nothing happened. He didn't want to disappoint Rufaus by not wearing it; on the other hand, wearing it may upset Riku. In the end, he decided not to wear it. He borrowed his mother's extra large umbrella so that he, Kairi, and Riku shared one umbrella as they walked to school.

"You're not wearing it," Riku approved. Kairi said nothing.

_Hope Rufaus doesn't notice_, thought Sora as they faced the rain. The rain won; the morning walk soaked them through their clothes. By the time they reached school, their pants (and skirt) were damp and their jackets cried out for the nearest hand dryer in the nearest restroom, any restroom! Was the downpour coming at an angle or something?

"You're not wearing it," Rufaus sighed when they saw him.

Rufaus Reddison seemed less withdrawn and nervous than the awkward, new guy from two weeks past; seemed like he finally settled down to life at Destiny Islands. Looking down at his soaked uniform (he really could have used a raincoat) Sora realized he needed a really good excuse. "Um ... uh, you see, I'm not much of a raincoat person," was his excuse. Rufaus gazed uncomprehendingly. "And," his added, "it ... well, it made me look like I had girly hips."

Rufaus laughed merrily. "You got me there! It did make you look like a girl, now that I think about it. Maybe that's the fashion where Dad currently lives."

"You wore it before?" accused Riku under his breath. Sora grinned nervously.

"Thanks for the sketchbook and supplies," said Kairi, stepping forward. "Your dad bought them, right? Sora told us." She gauged his reaction.

Rufaus happily nodded. "Right. Dad's alive! I'm too happy to think about anything else! I know I should look at this more logically, but…"

"I understand if you can't. You're not supposed to. Does your family know?"

Rufaus shook his head. "No. I … I know better than to tell them. This last time…" He changed the subject. "Dad doesn't want to reveal himself yet somehow."

"But we know."

"Well … don't tell my uncle, alright?"

"I promise."

"I thank you. At any rate, I've written back. I hope Dad answers my questions. I wondered if I wrote too many. I mean, I'd hate to sound demanding instead of -"

"God, I hope not!" Riku burst out.

His outburst ruined a perfectly good conversation. Kairi glared at her friend with violent violet eyes. Rufaus glanced at the newcomer with bewildered black eyes. Sora gauged the overall situation with cautious cerulean eyes. What an uncomfortable moment, and not just because of Riku! Only one minute until the bell, at least.

Rufaus began, "And your reasoning is …?"

"What makes you think your father sent you that package?" Riku asked. "Maybe whoever sent it wasn't your dad. Never thought about that, did you?"

To his surprise, Rufaus replied, "Yes, once last night … except I remembered I have proof."

Riku was taken aback. "Proof? What proof?"

"My memories." Rufaus kept his voice steady. "Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars. I remember telling Dad that I wanted to buy that trilogy when I first heard of it. I was fourteen. I told only Dad. No one else."

Riku quickly recovered from his slip-up. "I … I see. Still, you said something about the timing … why would your dad wait one whole year? Answer me that."

"Uh, Riku?" Sora tried to butt in. It was nearly eight. Did Riku want to be late or something?

"The return address was completely weird, I know. Made up, maybe?"

"Riku," Kairi quietly admonished. She, too, saw that it was nearly eight. ("Maybe he put the packages in the mailbox personally!" suggested Sora.)

"Your father never said anything about himself in your note. You never noticed because you were too wowed by the presents, I bet. Now, why would he do that?"

For those questions, Rufaus had no answer. For one moment, he was once again the awkward new guy of two weeks past. _He's clamming up again_, thought Sora. Nearby, Kairi looked at her longtime friend and new friend worriedly. What happened to make Riku so hostile?

"Maybe your dad's still dead," Riku finally suggested.

"Maybe you're mad about not getting a present. I wrote to Dad to give you one next time," Rufaus responded evenly. "Happy?" he spat out next. His face was calm, but for one nanosecond, his eyes were dark with black hatred. Sora noticed. The bell rang. Sora flinched.

"Thanks … but no thanks." As Riku left, Kairi and Sora immediately came to his aid.

"I don't know what came over him, honest -"

"Yeah, Riku's not like that. Well, not usually like that -"

"It's not you at all -"

"He and I butt heads all the time! It's nothing personal – I know! How about I come over to your place again today?"

Rufaus seemed to not hear them at all. "Okay, go to my place, got it. We need to go to class," he told his two friends, and turned and went inside. Seen from behind, black eyes hidden, he resembled his father most greatly. Was that what disturbed Riku enough to lash out?

* * *

Too late, he realized, that this morning could have been his chance to bring up the books. Alas, it was afternoon, and Sora remembered his promise and boarded the bus downtown. So much for walking and talking with Riku and Kairi. 

"More presents?"

Rufaus and Sora stared in stupor at the new gift in the mail: only one package this time, but what a package! It was heavy and cold to the touch. The two boys looked at each other, then at the package. It was a while before they realized its cold surface meant that it must be opened as soon as possible. Sora carried the package while Rufaus carried the mail.

Uncle Thaddeus was away, so they rested the package on the kitchen table. How appropriate; the package turned out to be two cartons of ice cream. "Vanilla?" wondered Rufaus when he opened the top. The ice cream was white.

"Could be cheesecake," suggested Sora.

"White chocolate?"

"French vanilla?"

"Vanilla bean?"

"Unflavored?"

"I made ice cream without adding anything once. Unflavored means milk flavored." Rufaus got an ice cream scoop, a spoon, and a bowl, and scooped a small helping. His face gained a complicated expression as soon as he took a bite. "I ... I can't explain it," he said. "You have to try it for yourself."

Sora didn't bother with a bowl or spoon; he used his finger. His face lighted up as soon as he tasted it. He knew this flavor: salty, yet sweet. "Sea salt ice cream," he smiled.

"Sea ... salt?" inquired Rufaus.

"Yeah. I had it before," Sora explained. _From a two foot duck wearing a vest and no pants._ He then saw an orange note nestled next to the cartons. "There's a note," he said, pointing.

"Well I'll be," breathed Rufaus as he read it. This was what it read:

_Dear Rufaus,_

_  
This is sea salt ice cream, highly popular in a city near where I currently live. I know you will like it. Currently I'm trying to track down the recipe. If I get it, I'll send it to you at once. If not, I'll send more cartons. Remember to eat in moderation and drink lots of water after each serving. I'm doing well, given the circumstances. I hope you are doing fine here too. _

_  
Love, Dad_

"Awww..." said Rufaus.

"Hmmm…" said Sora. He knew which city Jasper meant - Twilight Town. Is Jasper going to send presents day after day until he went broke? Could Nobodies go broke? What sort of economy existed in The World that Never Was? Or until Sora broke...

"We have to finish it before my uncle returns," realized Rufaus. When Sora asked why with a puzzled stare, he answered, "If my uncle sees this, he'll eat endless bowls! He won't control himself! I don't want him to get any more unhealthy!"

"Why would your uncle do that?" Sora wondered, giving the front door a quick, worried glance nonetheless. "He's a doctor, right? You'd think he'd care about his own health."

"He's a vet. He cares only for animal health," Rufaus retorted. "Human health ... he doesn't give a damn."

"Wow ... makes sense, though."

"What are we going to do?" fretted Rufaus. "We can't finish these two cartons by ourselves!"

"_We_ can't..." said Sora as a smile crept onto his face. "But I've got an idea."

* * *

His idea was this: ice cream social at Rufaus' place! 

In came Tidus, Selphie, Wakka, Kairi, and Riku. Two people could not consume two cartons of ice cream in one sitting, but what about seven? Seven teenagers got to work at once. Seven bowls and seven glasses of water rested on the kitchen table as seven kids chatted about school and after-school activities. Rufaus chatted with the best of them.

"Great ice cream!" cheered Selphie as she helped herself to a third bowl.

"Don't eat too much, ya?" Wakka reminded Tidus. "We have blitzball practice in half an hour."

"Okay," agreed the blond. He waved at Rufaus. "Thanks, Rufus! This is great!"

"Have you finished Ignorance yet?" Rufaus asked Kairi.

The redhead shook her head. "You lent it to me yesterday. I've barely started," she said. "It's completely different from what I expected."

"I can lend you Identity. You might like that more."

"So, what is this Ignorance?" Riku asked, giving Rufaus an odd look. "Kairi asked me about it yesterday. It's not a philosophy book, is it?"

"No, it's a novel. Novella."

"Is Ignorance by the same guy you keep raving about?" Riku asked. Rufaus nodded.

Sora was the only one who ate in silence. Now he remembered. Sea salt ice cream was Roxas' favorite food. This (along with the cloak) was intended to remind Sora of his Nobody self, in hopes of making him into his Nobody self - why? Did Jasper honestly think Roxas would desire to return, if what awaited him was vengeful punishment at the hands of Jasper's employer? Nobodies lack hearts, but not nerve endings. Also ... revenge may be an act, but it required emotions to be carried out, right?

All too soon, Wakka and Tidus had to leave for ball practice and Selphie had to leave for cheerleading practice. "See ya Rufus! I hope you catch the game this weekend!" waved Tidus as he, Selphie and Wakka sprinted out like marathon runners.

"Game this weekend?" wondered sports-illiterate Rufaus.

_It's us four now_, thought Sora. _Me, Kairi, Riku, and the new guy. And the new guy has to wash the dishes, he's the host._ And that would his chance to mention the books on Heart – "Yah!" He nearly jumped when Rufaus walked over to tap him on the shoulder. "Wh … whatever you want to say, my friends can hear it!"

Rufaus cocked his head, puzzled. "I was going to ask you to help me wash up."

Sora blushed. "Why me? You're the host."

Nearby, Kairi giggled and explained, "I thought you were a co-host."

"You planned this, which makes you a host. Let's go," agreed Rufaus.

_So much for that, but I can wait until next time,_ Sora told himself. Until Rufaus asked, as soon as they were busy in the kitchen, "Should we tell them about the ice cream?"

"What?"

"What about the library books?"

"Um…"

"I wanted to show Riku and Kairi the books on Heartless … but judging from what happened this morning, good thing I didn't." Rufaus sounded down. "Gee, I wonder if Riku would insist on having his stomach pumped if he found out where the ice cream came from," he darkly wondered.

"Hey!" Sora nearly slipped. "Don't talk about Riku like that! He's my friend!"

"Sorry."

Sora sighed and put the last bowl away. "You have to understand … you remember Saturday, right?" _Last, last, Saturday?_ "It was worse for him than for me."

"Fine. Some things are not meant to be known. I'm not meant to know about the Night of Fate, and Riku and Kairi are not meant to know about the Heartless."

"Right! Uh…" Rats, there was no taking that back. _Now I can't ever tell Riku or Kairi about the books on Heartless._ But he could still keep an eye on Rufaus, keep him from danger. "Today was fun. How about I come here every afternoon the rest of the week?"

"You were right, you know."

"Huh?"

"This morning, you suggested Dad put the packages in my mailbox personally," said Rufaus. "The more I think about it, the more I think that's true. The ice cream cinched it."

"Really?" Sora paused. "Ice cream? How's that supposed to cinch it?"

"Suppose the address wasn't a trick. Suppose the ice cream was delivered with the mail this morning. How come it didn't melt as it sat there for seven hours? How come the package didn't have dry ice to prevent it from melting?" Rufaus ceased to sound down. "It must have been put there by Dad. In person."

"Wow," the brunette breathed. Ice cream! Timing! Sora would never have chased this train of thought.

"Dad knows my school hours. He knows Uncle Thaddeus sends me to check the mail every afternoon," pondered Rufaus out loud. He smiled. "He's near here." _He's watching over me like a guardian angel_, he thought happily.

_He's watching over me like a demonic hawk_, thought Sora unhappily. _He knows I was to go visit him today. The packages were meant for me as much as for Rufaus. What do they mean? Are they warnings? _

At least Jasper was being sincere.


	16. Chapter 15

The gift-giving continued.

On Wednesday, it was a new pair of sneakers, a pair of white jeans, and some white t-shirts. Rufaus was delighted by the sneakers but puzzled by the jeans and shirts, since they were the wrong size. "Guess Dad forgot I've grown," he rationalized.

Sora offered to take the clothes off his hands. At home, he found them a perfect fit. Then he remembered the dreams. He shivered.

_His outfit was forever constant ... white pants and white shirt. _

On Thursday, two packages came. One was a The Farewell Party, a novel by (you guessed it) Milan Kundera. The second, larger and heavier, was addressed to Riku. "Ooooh, new translation!" cheered Rufaus as he inspected the pages. He looked at Sora next to him. "Dad got my letter! What do you think he sent Riku?"

"One way to find out," Sora stated as he took the package. "I'll open it." _In case it turns out to be something deadly_. It turned out to be a used textbook. So, Rufaus knew about Riku wanting to skip a grade … and told his father about it. Who told Rufaus? Wasn't him.

Riku was less than pleased when he accepted the textbook from Sora that night, and not because he was touchy about his personal quest (_Sora must have told him about it_, Riku thought. _Figures._) but because of a note bookmarked in the front:

_To his servant:_

_Stay out of it. This does not concern you. _

_Sincerely, Jasper Reddison_

It was a philosophy textbook, possibly college level; Riku could not make head or tails of it. Riku growled and shredded the note with his fingers. _Servant of DiZ, huh?_ He took that insult in stride. Yes, he was Ansem the Wise's man, and proud! Stay out of it? Sora was going to be in coma forever! Sora was his best friend! Of course it concerned him!

"I get it," he drawled as he looked at a random, incomprehensible page. "He thinks I'm useless, like this textbook." _Perhaps he's telling me to give up ... but on what? Sora? My quest?_

On Friday, it was an oversized postcard. One side was a photograph of a metropolis at night, covered in neon signs. Rufaus thought it was a beautiful shot, but why was the moon so irregularly shaped? And where were all the people? More interesting than the front was the back:

_Dear Rufaus,_

_Your letter demanded various questions to be answered. I regret that due to present circumstances, I cannot answer them as thoroughly as you would desire. Nonetheless, I will try to the best of my abilities. Have hope; with help, you may find the truth on your own. _

"_Where's Mom?" I made no mention of your mother for I don't know where she is. I have not seen her in over a year. I think about her as much as I think about you. I know she's alive. I do not intend to return without your mother, unless utterly impossible._

"_Why can't you see me?" Horrible as it is, I will not lie to you: I have a heart condition. It is severe and has affected my emotional as well as physical health. This is why I do not want to be seen; you might not even recognize me. There is a cure ... or was one until recently. _

"_Where is Dark City?" I do not know myself; I do not know how I arrived here in the first place. Dark City cannot be reached by conventional means. My gifts to you require a special mode of travel, hence the unorthodox address. _

"_Can I come visit you?" No. Dark City is a terrible place; be glad you don't know its location. It is never daytime; the streets are filled, not with crime, but worse; monsters the locals termed "Heartless" roam the streets, so everyone stays inside. It is Heartless that caused my heart condition._

"_Why didn't you give Riku a gift?" I'll give him something appropriate._

"_What happened last year?" Another horrible truth of which I only have a general picture: Heartless attacked me and your mother as we slept; I woke up elsewhere, alone. Soon after, I was taken to Dark City, with my current heart condition. Everyone here has a similar story. For a long time we awaited a cure. Recent news held that it is postponed or gone forever. _

"_When can you return?" Quite obvious: when I get cured. I am of the camp that the cure is postponed, and only briefly. I refuse to give up hope. Once, I gave up all hope of finding "Ms. Right," and then I met your mother! Currently, I'm doing my best to contact the one who holds the key. Don't worry about me. _

_It seems this postcard holds only so many questions, and I know it has just generated more. Be free to ask me more the next time you write; I look forward to future letters. You can send future gift requests for yourself or your friends as well. Don't worry about cost; I have more than enough money._

_Love, Dad._

_P. S.: Say hello to Naminé and Roxas for me. You might want to ask Roxas some questions._

To Sora's surprise, his friend seemed not too happy to receive this postcard. Was he expecting another present? _Don't be greedy, Rufaus; every day isn't Christmas!_ "Something wrong?" he asked.

Rufaus shook his head. "No ... no, nothing's wrong," he sighed. "It's just that ... I thought Mom was with him." he explained. But he's okay, at least."

"Ah."

"Wow ... postponed or gone forever?" breathed Rufaus, worried. He faced the brunet next to him. "Hello, Roxas."

Sora fairly flinched. "What did you call me?"

"That's what the card said: tell Roxas hello," Rufaus explained. "I mean, tell you hello." He read the card again. "'Ask Roxas some questions.' Can do … what about the Heartless?"

"H-Heartless?"

"You mentioned Heartless. The books at the library mentioned Heartless. Now Dad. That's three sources. Are Heartless real? Not just a local legend?"

"Um ..."

"Dad would never mention them otherwise."

"There you go. You answered your own question!"

As they went to the stairs, Rufaus asked, "Sora, did you see Heartless once?"

"What?"

"Did you? Yes or no."

"N-no."

Rufaus caught Sora's hesitant tone. _I better do this more carefully this time_, he thought. No more overt, direct questions that could spark an outburst. Sora never really got over last time. "Okay ... Dad seems to know you, judging from the letter. Do you know Dad?"

"No." As Roxas, yes. But Jasper was a stranger to_ this_ version of the Chosen One.

"But the Night of Fate ..." mused Rufaus. "What happened to make you and Riku so reluctant?" His theory of suppressed bad memories seemed spurious. Suppressed meant forgotten, but Sora still remembered.

"I ..." Sora began as Rufaus watched him intently. _I can tell you everything_, Sora wanted to say. But the world order ... no, it wasn't really that, wasn't it? Learning about Heartless or other worlds didn't harm people that much, as Traverse Town's residents showed. Rufaus was going to find out about other words soon enough; Heartless lore often emphasized their ability to cross worlds. Then ... if not the world order, what? His own guilt? Sora remembered something:

_Yes...Kingdom Hearts... Rejoice, and feast on these hearts we offer! _

_Shine your pale light on this empty realm... Share your power with all Nobodies!_

Xemnas spoke those lines. He probably said them during their confrontation ... no he didn't. Then ... when? Did it matter? _All_ Nobodies, not just Organization XIII. So, Organization XIII wasn't working for itself. It was working for Nobodies like Jasper and his employer, who lived in Dark City. Probably the Dusks too...

_No wonder Jasper (and his employer) desire revenge_, Sora thought unhappily. _As wrong as revenge is, their case is actually more understandable than Ansem the Wise's ... _

"Still waiting for an answer here." Rufaus sounded patient. Patience. Dad told him to be patient.

"Because ... I killed the Organization," the boy whispered in a grave voice.

Rufaus blinked in surprise: _killed?_ No, he heard wrong. He only heard mumbling. He heard someone else's voice, though. "You sound different just now. What gives?"

"I did?" The boy stopped, shook his head vigorously, and looked at a strand of hair. Still brown.

Rufaus tilted his head. "Hmm, you sound normal again. I must have heard wrong the first time."

"Oh!" said Sora ... yes, he was Sora. The two continued scaling the stairs. Sora felt slight nervousness; was it Rufaus' imagination, or a close call? Riku was right. Jasper was getting to him with his new tactic. Who knew gifts could be so deadly? At least he could wake up from dreams.

"I won't ask you any more questions," declared Rufaus as they came to his front door.

"Huh?"

Rufaus smiled, but it was a wan smile. "Remember when you told me you couldn't tell me more beyond 'Heartless'? That Saturday?"

"Yeah."

"Dad doesn't know that. I do. I don't like it, but I'll abide by it," Rufaus concluded. _Besides, I can still ask Dad._ "I wonder why he called you Roxas again."

"Who knows?" It galled Sora that Jasper would be so bold in his letter. In a few sentences, Jasper told Rufaus things which Sora and Riku strove to keep him from learning. Might as well tell Rufaus all about Keyblades and Kingdom Hearts! And Nobodies too...

Rufaus spent the rest of the afternoon crafting a response letter.

* * *

On Saturday, the gift-giving turned deadly. 

Having caught a cold last night, Rufaus was drowsy and bedridden all day. Thaddeus went to work as usual, ignoring his nephew completely. That afternoon, Thaddeus returned to find Rufaus sleeping like a coma victim. He also found that his issue of Reader's Digest - due today - was not here. Of course, Rufaus was too sick to get the mail that day. "Guess I better go get the mail today," he realized. Thaddeus went down (by elevator - lazy!) to retrieve the mail.

At the lobby, he spied a white hat on his mailbox.

"What the dilly-oh?" he wondered loudly as he stared at the strange talisman. He was transfixed by the hat. He was drawn to the magical object ... not to touch it, of course, it seemed too ethereal -

He felt a sudden great pain in his chest.

Fortunately, there was a passerby who owned a car … and who knew the fastest route to the nearest hospital. Later, Thaddeus would tell the doctors that it felt like someone punched him in the heart.

"He had a heart attack," Rufaus mumbled into his phone. Now, he was sick with grief as well as cold.

"Geez lousie! The sad thing is … I'm not surprised. Your uncle's a waking health disaster!"

"I know, Cay. You told me twelve times."

"Rufaus? You okay? I'm sorry if I made you down – "

"Oh no. It's my cold medicine ... it hasn't kicked in yet."

"Oooooh, no wonder. Your uncle's okay now, right?"

"Right." Rufaus paused to use a Kleenex. "Doctors say he'll be fine."

"No worries?"

"Wrong. What if this happens again? What if he dies?" _What if I land into the hands of my scary grandmother?_

"Wow, you really are down. And not from the medicine either. You really okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Hey! Can I talk to him?" It was a new voice.

Rufaus removed his ear from his phone. "What?"

"Can I talk your friend?" asked the new person, pointing at the phone. Sora sat next to Rufaus in the hospital room. "From Kismet?"

"Um ... sure." Rufaus returned to the phone. "Guess what? My friend from school wants to talk to you." He handed the phone to the brunette. "Here you go."

"Hi! I'm Sora," greeted the brown haired boy. "You're Rufaus' friend, right?"

"Best friends since babies, suren," chirped the voice on the other end. Sora blinked; it was exactly the same as in his dream. "So! What's island life like? Do you boss little 'uns and hunt pigs and make sacrifices to the Lord of the Flies?"

"Ex ... excuse me?"

"Sorry, just a little Kismetian humor there. You know, Kismet, greatest city in the world?"

"Aw geez ..." Sora grimaced. _Geez, big time city-slickers are so full of themselves._ "So … your name's Caylan?"

"Short for Cornelius, but Cornelius sucks. I'm gonna get it legally changed from I turn eighteen. What about you? You okay with girl's name?"

Corny or Cornell would be a better substitute for Cornelius than Caylan, but Sora didn't push the issue; he had another issue to push. "Girl's name? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry, Sora … but if a name ends in an 'a' ... then it's most likely feminine."

"Not always! What about Ramza or Delita? Those are guy names. And Samus is a girl's name, but it ends in us. So there!" Sora readjusted his grip on the phone. Caylan's speaking patterns were the same as in his dream. This was spooky! "Besides ... where I come from," he continued matter-of-factly, "Sora is gender-neutral."

"Oooh, you got me! Island names are freaky. So, whadda want to talk to me about?"

Hmm ... Sora only wanted to hear his voice as to compare the waking version to the dream version. Now what? "Well ... tell me about yourself. How did you and Rufaus become best friends?"

"Simple, close promixity! My dad and his dad were next-door neighbors. My dad's always busy. His dad's a great host!" Caylan sounded proud, as though this was his accomplishment. "We grew up together."

"I see. Makes sense." Sora could relate. His parents and Riku's parents were next-door neighbors. Sora's parents were often called upon to baby-sit Riku, and vice versa. Thus, their friendship was inevitable ... was fate. "So..."

"So what else you wanna know about me?"

"Not much," Sora admitted. "I'm just curious as to what you sound like."

"Aw, geez! Give the phone back to Rufaus, I wanna talk to him about Liz."

"You mean Lisset," mumbled Sora as he handled the phone back to Rufaus. His friend accepted the phone eagerly, and eagerly chatted with Caylan about Lisset and the new private school she was attending. Conversations switched to uniforms, mandatory summer reading, and comparing public school to private school.

Sora gazed at the sleeping middle-aged man. He felt like a stranger in this room, and not because he rarely went to hospitals. Why was he here at all? He still was a new arrival in Rufaus' world, Sora realized. Then he heard a door creak and incoming footsteps. "You okay?" came a quiet voice.

"Hi Kairi," Sora greeted. He leaned against the hospital wall. "I'm just peachy."

"More like bored," Kairi joked. She grew more somber as she looked at Thaddeus on the bed. "So, is he...?"

"He's fine now, but he gave us quite a scare." Like her, he used a small voice as to not bother Thaddeus or Rufaus. Sora shot Thaddeus' swollen gut a disapproving look. "I always thought Rufaus was overreacting when he worried about his uncle's health. Guess not."

"Heart attack, huh ...?" Kairi took a seat next to Sora. Rufaus gave her a second-long glance and hung up the phone. He waved once.

"Hey," Kairi waved back. "How's your uncle?"

"Oy ... Rufaus? That you?" It was a new voice.

"Uncle!" Rufaus yelled in joy. "You're alive!"

"Damn right, and I've got something to tell you, something personal. Leave, will you?" Thaddeus directed that last sentence at Sora and Kairi.

* * *

It was a while before the blue haired boy joined his friends. Rufaus had a mixture of relief and tension on his face when he walked out of the hospital room. "About time!" he cheered. 

"Time for what?" Sora asked.

"My uncles promised me he's going to lose weight!" Rufaus proclaimed. The cold medicine was finally working; he wasn't as stuffy or sleepy as before.

"That's great!" Kairi cheered.

"About time my uncle decides to be healthy! About time my uncle realizes he's a hundred pounds overweight!" Rufaus exclaimed, gripping his hands in answered prayer. "He swears he's going to the dietician, the gym … the works! He says he's going to shape up! It's like a dream come true!"

"That's great!" Sora echoed.

To his surprise, all energy deflated out of Rufaus. The boy wilted into a sad little orphan who nearly lost the last somewhat-okay guardian in his life. "Can't believe it took a heart attack to make him see the truth ..." he muttered, letting his hands drop.

"Um ... at least something good came out of something bad," Sora consoled. Rufaus shot him a dark, green-tinted look. "Um ... I mean, it's like a dream come true, right? Didn't you say you wish your uncle would start managing his health?"

"You're right about it being like a dream," commented Rufaus. "A nightmare too: I nearly lost my uncle. He may be a fat dork, but … he's still my uncle." He looked down at the floor. "Well, the dream came true, and the nightmare didn't. All's well that ends well."

"A dream and a nightmare came true at the same time," murmured Kairi, giving her friend a kind look. His dream of his uncle living healthy came true at the cost of his nightmare of losing his uncle to a heart attack almost coming true. Ah, the strange twists of fate.

"What made it happen?" asked Sora. _Twenty years of unhealthy living, duh._ He needed to make it more specific: "Uh ... when did it happen?"

Rufaus wasn't listening; idly going back to the door, he muttered to himself, "I'm going to have to write Dad about this ... write a new letter to replace the one I sent last night. Change my request."

"Request?" Sora cried. He nearly jumped off the floor in shock. "Request for who?"

"My uncle, duh," Rufaus half-smiled. "In my last letter, I wrote Dad to give Uncle Thaddeus something to alert him about his obesity. You know ... a book on health, a guide to healthy eating when going out, something like that. My uncle loves to eat out." He shook his head. "How that he has been alerted about his obesity -"

"You didn't answer Sora's question," interrupted Kairi. She was as shocked as he. "When did it happen?"

"Early afternoon, when my uncle was checking the mail," Rufaus responded. "He said it felt like someone punched him in the heart, from behind. Next thing he knew, he was here." _Click_, went the door; he went back in to check on his uncle. Kairi and Sora looked at each other in fair horror.

Early warnings if a heart attack include: shortness of breath, tightness in chest, and pain extending from left shoulder to jaw. Not the sensation of being punched in the heart. Something to alert him about his obesity, huh? How about a heart attack?

"Riku was right," Sora breathed. "Jasper is dangerous."

"Jasper did this? He would do this?" Kairi squeaked. "Why?"

"To fulfill his son's request, duh." Sora rolled his eyes. "Rufaus asked him to give his uncle something for his weight, so Jasper gave a heart attack. Nothing like a near-death experience to force someone to do something about his weight!" He closed his eyes and shook his head. _Just like a Nobody!_

Nobodies were an unscrupulous lot, completely fine with harming innocents in pursuit of their goals - Xaldin threatened Belle and Beast's rose, Luxord threatened Port Royal's citizens - even if their goals involve helping those they profess to love. So! Jasper harmed Thaddeus for Rufaus. Nobodies could pretend to have hearts, but that was a ruse - Jasper could mimic having a heart quite well, but only where his son and wife were concerned. Other people, even his brother - forgetaboutit!

"Guess what, Jasper? The ends don't justify the means!" declared Sora. He marched to the elevators. Kairi followed.

"Where are we going?" she wondered, but she already knew.

"To the mailboxes! If I'm lucky, I can catch him there." Sora increased his pace. "I won't let him threaten any more innocents! We need to settle this once and for all."

"I'm going with you."

"No!" Sora stopped and held Kairi by the shoulders. "Stay here with Rufaus, okay? Call Riku. I don't care if he wasn't part of Organization XIII, Jasper is as is deadly as any Organization member. Look what he did to his brother!" He gulped. "His own brother!"

"I know, but ..."

"You might get hurt."

"No I won't!" Kairi protested as she removed his hands from her shoulders. "I'm not going to be left behind again. He's more likely to hurt you than me. Besides..." She gave him a shy smile. "You need me."

"For what?"

"To see him."

In the end, Kairi was right. It was dark when they arrived at the apartment complex. In the dim twilight, they barely made out a white hat sitting pretty-as-you-please on the locker-like mailboxes. Sora only saw the hat. Kairi saw something else ... no, someone else. She twisted her head, making sure to see only through the corner of her eye. Then she saw. "There!" she cried, pointing.

"You mean the hat?"

"No, there! In the corner! To your left!"

"I don't see anyone in any corner."

"You sure? It's him - eek! He's waving at us." Kairi gingerly waved back.

"Aw ... very funny Kairi."

"Now he's walking to the mailbox." She pointed again.

"What, is he coming to get his hat - OH MY GOD! THE HAT'S FLOATING!"

"The hat's in his hand," Kairi corrected.

"And on my head," came a new voice. Lo and behold! In front of Sora's eyes, Jasper materialized into existence, hat on his head, not a single thread out of place on his white suit. "Greetings," he called. The teens did not reply.

Sora remembered. In the Hall of the Cornerstone, Jasper threw his hat into the air … and turned insubstantial, enabling him to kill off the brooms in silence. In the dreams, he needed no hat. Not so in the real world.

Kairi remembered. In the Royal Library, the phantom Nobody - Jasper's employer - was seen only by her, and only at an angle. Was it because she was a Princess of Heart? Naminé and Roxas were transparent when they finally met them in the World that Never Was, weren't they? Mickey and Donald couldn't see them, could they?

_Who did this? _

_Well, I'm not sure. But we'd better hurry and get through._

"Greetings," Jasper repeated, strolling towards the two teens. He looked straight at the redheaded girl. "I'm surprised you could see me ... Naminé's Other."


	17. Chapter 16

"You!" Sora screamed, pointing an accusing finger. "You harmed your own brother!"

Jasper didn't flinch.

"You gave him a heart attack by punching him in the heart!"

Jasper didn't frown.

"You put him in the hospital!"

Jasper didn't blink.

"You gave him the scare of his life!"

Jasper didn't move.

"You could have killed him!"

Jasper remained as unmoving as an image. Was he really there?

Sora fell silent; nothing he put forth would affect the man even the smallest bit. So instead Kairi tried, "Why?"

Jasper replied matter-of-factly, "You realize my brother is morbidly obese, correct?"

"Ah - ha!" Sora declared, raising a finger into the air. "So you do admit to giving your brother a heart attack!"

"Throughout his life, my brother ignored any and all criticisms on his weight," Jasper explained, ignoring Sora and focusing his green eyes solely on Kairi. "Even as his health and self-esteem suffered, he refused to consider any diet or exercise regimen. 'My fat, my life,' he would say. I figured it would take a life-or-death event to open his eyes."

"But why a heart attack?" Kairi inquired. "Why not ... another dream?"

"Did you not hear me the first time?" Jasper answered. "My brother ignored all criticisms on his weight, from without or within. If he had such a dream, he would dismiss it as ... just a dream." His face darkened. "He probably had such dreams before ... that selfish _agelaste_."

"You could have done multiple dreams starring you," Kairi said, "in case the first one failed." Nothing like an apparition of a dead relative to make a dream stand out, right?

"Multiple dreams starring me ... " Jasper mused, humoring her suggestion. "Would it work? Doubtful." He shook his head slowly. "Does it matter at this point? My brother came to his senses and my son's request is fulfilled."

"You did this for Rufaus ... all for Rufaus," Sora muttered. How twisted. This was so ... so sick and wrong. So remorseless and amoral! He glared at Jasper. "I'm disgusted. What if your brother died? What then?" Next to him, Kairi nodded. Jasper's stunt could have gone out of control, for all his intentions and planning.

Dread briefly flashed across Jasper's face, and then it was blank again. "But he didn't," Jasper responded brightly. "Instead he experienced an epiphany."

The two teens were silent: the stern silence of disapproval.

"My brother has health insurance. It's not like he can't afford a trip to the hospital!" Jasper protested.

Kairi remained silent, while Sora gave a groan of disgust and pressed his hand against face. "You ... heartless Nobody," he muttered. "You claim to care for family, but in the end you're just as cold and calculating as any Organization member."

"I never claimed not to be heartless," retorted Jasper, "but whose fault is that? What do you want, anyway?" Jasper gave the brunet a hard glare as he descended the stairs calmly. "This is a family affair, and none of your business."

"It is our business!" Sora felt indignation rise from his lungs to his head. "What about the clothes? What about the sketchbook?"

"He meant the heart attack," Kairi whispered in his ear.

"Oh."

"But it is our business," Sora repeated, holding his ground and his gaze as the man in white walked right up to them. "You harmed an innocent! We can't let you get away with that!" The brunette kept his voice steady and low. "We have to settle this once and for all. I'm sick of you hanging around me, and I know you're sick of it too."

The man nodded and inquired, "What do you propose?"

"A duel."

Jasper was silent. And shocked. So was Kairi. Sora meant every word, they noted. "A duel," the boy continued. "If you lose, you leave the World of Light forever. If you win ..." He broke his gaze and stared at the concrete floor. "Well ... that won't happen."

"Sora ..." Kairi protested softy, then gasped in horror as Jasper took out something from his right pocket: a revolver! It appeared to be the same gun he used last weekend. To her surprise, he let it drop. It clattered on the ground uselessly, devoid of bullets all this time.

"I accept," the man agreed. Sora snapped his head up in shock. Whoa, so soon? Just like that?

Jasper gazed at his useless firearm on the ground through half-lidded eyes. "I was to confront you the first time you came here," he explained. "As you can see, I tarried and remained behind the scenes ..."

"... and gave us presents instead," Kairi finished, looking at the gift man ... er, horse in the mouth ... er, eyes. "Why?"

"Never mind why," answered Jasper, his mind on more recent news. "Duel, eh? First thing tomorrow - "

"Whoa, not tomorrow!" Sora protested. "Not next week either!"

Jasper tilted his head, uncomprehending. "It's the recipient who picks the ... fine, why the delay?"

"We have school. We go to the same school as Rufaus," explained Kairi. For dramatic effect, she put her hands on her hips. "You don't want Rufaus to notice Sora's missing, right?"

"I'd rather have Rufaus get a GED and avoid the purgatory that is secondary education, but yes ... I don't want him to be amiss," Jasper replied. Sighing, he cast a brief stare at the rising moon. "Fine ... a duel, eh?"

Sora was silent.

"In a duel, the recipient picks the weapons, time, and place of the encounter."

Sora didn't move.

"I'll use my Walther P99. You'll be using your Keyblade, I assume."

Sora didn't blink.

"Time shall be Friday evening, five o' clock."

Sora didn't flinch.

"Meet me at the parking garage next to this building, top floor. We'll go to an undisclosed location so your allies can't interfere."

Sora didn't breathe.

"Fight continues until ... well, pretty obvious, isn't it?"

"Yeah, until you lose!" Sora snorted. He turned on his heel and headed for home. "Be there or be square!"

Sora was in such a foul mood, he failed to notice that Kairi wasn't following. The moon was a fair distance from the horizon now. Kairi regarded the man with a mixture of pity and fear. He seemed transparent in the dim light, she thought.

"Thanks for the presents," she said. She spoke only for herself. Then she ran off to join her friend.

Later, back at the play island... "You challenged Jasper to a WHAT?!"

"A duel."

"And he accepted?"

"Yes." Sora proceeded to explain the terms of their agreement, but couldn't finish, for right before the end Riku took him by the shoulders and shook him quite a bit.

"Sora, no!" Riku pleaded. "What if he ... what if he cheats or something?" A hundred what-if scenarios hounded at the sixteen year old's brain. What if the "undisclosed location" turned out to be a trap? What if Jasper had _his_ allies at that so-called undisclosed location? What if he shot Sora upon meeting him in the parking garage? Nobodies were sneaky bastards, after all.

"Jasper honored his agreements before," Sora reasoned, twisting his head to look at the sea. "He left my dreams when I ordered him to." But Riku had a point. Sora had been so conflicted about the presents, so mad about Thaddeus' heart attack, and so happy that Jasper accepted an ultimatum, he hadn't considered whether Jasper would follow that ultimatum.

"No allies?" Riku muttered. He looked pale and upset, pale moonlight reflecting off his pale hair. "Are you sure? Isn't there some way we can -"

"No!" Sora lifted Riku's hands off his shoulders. "This is personal. Just Jasper and me."

Riku sighed and sat down on the sand, not caring if his clothes got wet and salted. "Does Kairi know about this?"

"I know," came a new voice. Kairi joined Riku and Sora on the beach. Her red hair seemed darker, almost black at night. "I was with him when he ... you know." She regarded the brunet with a cautious stare: what had Sora gotten himself into? Why did he agree to such circumstances? How could she intervene (in case he … began changing again) if the duel were to occur in an undisclosed location?

Riku regarded his best friend with a similar stare. What has Sora gotten himself into? He wondered if the man would follow the agreements faithfully or twist them to his own purposes. The latter was more likely, since Nobodies tended not to honor the spirit of agreements, honor and spirit being born in the heart.

Sora noted both their stares. "You guys think I made a bad choice, huh?" he wondered sheepishly.

"Yeah."

"Definitely."

"Well ... hmmm," Sora countered verbosely. He had threw the duel upon Jasper in a fit of indignation. _I didn't look before I leapt (as usual), _he admitted to himself (example: Castle Oblivion). "Guess it's too late to back out now. Besides, I'll win."

"I hope so ..." worried Kairi.

"I know so!" reassured Sora. "I beat him before, I'll beat him again. For good this time!" Granted, his prior two victories were due to outside intervention than innate skill, but he ignored that. He beat him fair and square in the dream, right?

Meanwhile, in a dark and roomy place... "Sora challenged you to a WHAT?"

"A duel."

"And you accepted?"

"Yes." Jasper explained the terms of their agreement in detail as his comrade listened. When he finished, he sat down on a nearby desk and waited for the other Nobody's response. It was not a sympathetic response.

"Damn it all! You just signed your own death warrant," Crypus groaned. "What makes you think him to be willing to honor this agreement?"

"He's an honorable warrior. He'll keep his word - "

"_Roxas_ was an honorable warrior," corrected Crypus. "_He_ kept his word. I doubt his Other to be of similar mind."

Apparently he hasn't thought of that. Mouth curling into a slight frown, Jasper fidgeted as he sat. Meanwhile, Crypus walked away from him and around the room. The white-haired man looked at the numerous bookshelves that lined each side of the room. It reminded him of his favorite haunts from back before he lost his passion for reading ... as well as his passion for everything else. Crypus's Other must have been a renowned man of letters ... or just some nerd who loved to read.

As Crypus thought about his lost literary loves, Jasper thought about his lost liege.

Yes, Roxas was an honorable warrior. This was represented in the Nobodies he commanded - the loyal Samurai. Surely, Roxas inherited his dutiful nature from Sora? Surely, Sora was also a bushido-honoring swordsman? "Why would Sora violate his own agreement?" countered Jasper. "It was his idea."

"He can change his mind," retorted Crypus. "He can claim to allow allies. You should have made him sign a contract."

"Yes ..." murmured Jasper. "I should have made him promise." It was not too late. He could hunt down Sora' address and bind him to the terms of the duel. Yes, he'll do that as soon as possible. He'll draft a contract right now! "Got paper and pen?"

Instead of answering yes or no, Crypus asked a question of his own: "Verily, I am unable to interfere?"

Jasper shook his head. "This is a private matter between me and him."

Crypus liked this not at all, but his expression belied his mood. He detested the idea of losing one of the few Nobodies whom he allowed to call him by praenomen - erm, first name. _Would I miss Jasper if he were to fall to oblivion? Technically, no. I wouldn't feel a thing. But I'd wish I would._ He walked back to his comrade and began, "Surely, I may lend some auxili -"

"Give me all the elixirs in your inventory if you want, but that's it. No outside help." Jasper was resolute. Then he smiled. "I lost the first two times ... third time's the charm."

"What makes you sure?"

"My liege is noble. He's not going to let a naive brat like Sora get the way of his duties."


	18. Chapter 17

"Jasper."

"Yes?"

"Since when your liege was Roxas? Wasn't your liege Axel?"

Jasper let silence amble by awkwardly before answering, "Roxas is my liege by default, since very other Organization member is gone."

His comrade clicked his tongue and folded his arms in disagreement. "A likely excuse."

Crypus pondered about the connection between Jasper and Roxas as he walked the warm, calm streets. No. 8 and No. 13 were friends, correct? Axel probably used Jasper as a go-between between him and Roxas. Was that how Jasper came to know Roxas on a personal basis? Jasper inherited his (original) liege's respect for the Key of Destiny, so it seemed.

The two men finally came upon a small but comfortable home, complete with lawn. It must be expensive, for it was within walking distance to the beach. "Damn beachfront properties," said Jasper, but in a neutral tone.

Crypus knocked several times on the door. Nothing happened.

"Doorbell," reminded Jasper.

Crypus pressed the strange glowing button next to the door. Some seconds passed, then the magic of technology happened: the door creaked open. A bleary-eyed, brown-haired youth between the ages of 14 and 16 prepared to greet them, but shrieked instead. "Hey, who's - WAAAAAAH! IT'S YOU!"

"Damn. He looks just like Roxas!" were the first words out of Crypus' mouth.

"What do you want now?" raged angry Sora at nonchalant Jasper as ignored Crypus watched. "Let me guess. You're chickening out of the duel, huh?" The teen clenched his hands and gave the two men a hard, sullen glare.

"Damn. Now he looks exactly like Roxas," Crypus wondered.

"On the contrary, I wish to clarify the terms of the duel with you," explained Jasper. He motioned towards Crypus. "This is Dr. Crypus Thorson. He will be the arbitrator. He'll write out the exact terms of the contract."

"More Nobodies ..." muttered Sora, looking at Crypus' grey clothes; there was not a scrap of color on him. "So what are you? Another ex-employee of Organization XIII?"

"Not in the least!" Crypus roared. Then he grew ominously quiet. "You're right, Jasper. This Sora is inept!"

"I am not -" Sora's eyes grew as wide as blue plate specials. "You're the guy who hired Jasper!"

"Now he comprehends!" Crypus snorted, rolling his eyes to avoid eye contact with the dumb brunet.

"I figured you would want to meet my employer before you go," elaborated Jasper.

"Go where?" asked Sora, then he understood: to oblivion, in the event Roxas replaced him. Not likely to happen! Sora thought idly about summoning the Keyblade and attacking them unawares - no, it would not be fair, it wasn't him. "I'm not going anywhere! What makes you think I'm gonna let you in?" he huffed.

"Is Riku here?" Jasper asked politely.

"No."

"Rufaus?"

"No." _What a strange question_, thought Sora.

"You have nothing to fear!" concluded the man next to Jasper. "We'll be inside now." BOOM! Flashes of darkness later, the two men were gone. Sora grunted in frustration; he knew they were inside now. They didn't even give him the satisfaction of slamming the door!

He found them waiting in the kitchen. He muttered something under his breath.

"You said what?" inquired the white-haired man, standing next to the fridge. Next to him, Jasper had opened the fridge and was rummaging through it. He came up empty-handed.

"I said, 'you guys stink.'" Sora replied, sulking to the kitchen table and flopping down on the nearest chair (His actual reply had cuss words.).

Jasper took a chair opposite him. Crypus got out pen and paper and sat next to Jasper. Together they hashed out the contract. The terms were as stated before: time was Friday at 5:00 PM, meet at parking garage, no outside help (this was in bold), yadda yadda yadda. The difference now was that the terms were in print, and thus binding. Watching the white-haired man at work, Sora thought about Ariel and her fateful contract with Ursula; were not for King Triton, what would have happened to Ariel? No sea king would help him here.

"Any terms you want to add?" inquired the white-haired man. Sparked by this offer, Sora got an idea.

"Yeah. Jasper can't send stuff to Rufaus anymore."

Jasper stared at him idly, then venomously. How dare the boy suggest such a horrid idea! "I object!" he yelled.

"No presents or no deal," was Sora's firm reply.

At this, Jasper glared at the boy in his seat like a hostile cat. He calmed down when Crypus leaned over and whispered something in his ear. No doubt to talk sense into him. "Fine," the blue-grey haired man hissed, and leaned back in his chair. He didn't inquire into the reason for the new condition, for he guessed the reason already: Sora was stupidly sure of winning, so Jasper better stop giving his son letters in order to wean Rufaus off the hope of him ever returning. _That won't happen_, he vowed to himself.

"Any other terms?" inquired Crypus as though nothing happened. Sora shook his head no. "What about you, Jasper?"

The blue-haired man leaned forward and rested his head on folded knuckles. For a long time he gazed at Sora with unblinking green eyes. Sora eventually shifted his eyes; the intense stare was too much. Was the man trying to turn him into Roxas by the mere force of his stare?

"No," Jasper finally said, sitting up. "Nothing – no, wait. I have one: Sora must come alone. No followers. I'll have no audience for this duel."

Crypus nodded and added the two addendums. Then he peeled the paper in his hands into three different colored sheets. So! It was like one of those school forms Sora encountered when enrolling in high school. Crypus handed Sora a pink-colored sheet and Jasper a blue-colored sheet; he kept the yellow one for himself.

"Here are your copies of the contract," he explained. "The final copy I will keep in my office. Failure to comply with the terms presented will result in imprisonment and in severe cases, death." He folded his copy into a neat little rectangle and placed it into a sash around his waist.

"Death?" gulped Sora.

"Strict guidelines. We don't allow deviation," said Crypus.

_Of course_, thought Sora. _Nobodies have no concept of mercy_. "So ... we're done here?" he asked, wondering if there was a catch. There was always a catch. Nobodies may act fair, but they love to twist even the most obscure loophole to their ends. On the Black Pearl, Luxord invoked parley and proceeded to screw him and Jack Sparrow over, didn't he? Sora waited to be totally screwed over.

"Alright, we're done," finished Crypus. "Let's go." BOOM! The two was gone in flashes of black. Sora blinked in bewilderment. That's it? No catch?

"Honey … why are you still up?"

Sora jumped at this new voice. It was only his mother, brown hair messily trailing to her shoulders, blue eyes wincing at the kitchen light. "It's nearly midnight, sweetie," she chided kindly. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong!" Sora lied, flashing her a reassuring smile. "I can't sleep, that's all. I ..." He looked around his surroundings for an alibi. "I was going to get a midnight snack."

His mother shook her head and scolded, "Don't. You'll ruin your breakfast. Go to bed this instant." Her voice was gentle, but she meant it.

"Yes, Mom." Straight as a cannonball, Sora dashed to bed. He was too sleepy. He'll worry about the contract tomorrow.

Tomorrow...

Sitting at the kitchen table, Sora re-read the terms of the contract. Everything was in order. Why did Jasper insist on writing the terms down? Was he afraid that Sora would go back on his terms? Did he expect Sora to be like him? _Just like a Nobody! They don't trust, they don't make promises -_

It was kind of him to agree to not send stuff to Rufaus anymore, though. Sora didn't think Jasper would actually go along with it. Poor Rufaus ... but he has to get over his parents' demise sometime, right? _Guess Jasper isn't that bad a Nobody –_ egh. _Do I still feel sorry for him? _

Even if so, his guilt was mixed with anxiety and anger: anxiety about the fight on Friday (_Why are you so anxious Sora? You won against Nobodies way stronger than Jasper! It'll be a cakewalk, you'll see!_), and anger about the incident on Saturday (_No matter what he says about Rufaus, no matter what he claims or does ... Jasper's still a Nobody. Poor Thaddeus. Jasper nearly tricked us_.).

Sora stuffed the pink paper in his pocket and thought about other matters … other Nobodies. Stranger than Jasper Reddison was the stranger he brought with him. His employer, Dr. Thorson: what a strange fellow! He was your typical human-form Nobody, yet at the same time... he was not. His method of travel - the dark corridor he summoned - was exactly like that of an Organization member: tall black oval laced with thorn like residue, complete with sci-fi zooming sound. His grey mage robes conveyed the same authority as the black raincoat of Organization XIII. In appearance, he was like every other human-form Nobody Sora met.

But not in behavior: he didn't behave like any Organization member Sora ever met. He was not cruel; in fact, he was rather polite. He was matter-of-fact, down-to-business, neat-&-tidy, straightforward and honest. Guess not having a heart didn't always mean becoming a ruthless and manipulative bastard. Still, Crypus was cold; his eyes never showed emotion.

_The robes ... he's with another organization_, thought Sora. _His outfit's a uniform, like Organization XIII coats_. His blue eyes widened in shock. _The government...? _

_Duh, of course. Not all Nobodies were like Organization XIII. Dr. Thorson was right, you are an idiot._

Sora looked around, panicked. Those thoughts were his, but they ... they weren't in the style of his usual thoughts. What happened to his thought processes? Never mind; Sora focused on recalling other unique characteristics of Crypus from last night. His voice was off, for one. Stilted. Accented. Tendency to use big words like _cordial_ instead of _heartfelt_ and _illumination_ instead of _light_ (What a nerd! What an egghead!). Also, weird grammar and awkward phrasing. Did that signal a lack of heart? Maybe, maybe not: lack of feelings may have resulted in his sterile speech.

Why was he thinking of such unimportant matters? He had other matters to attend to. Like telling Riku about this new development and going to Disney Castle and asking King Mickey and Yen Sid for advice. He must see if the fairies have any new info on the government. He must report what he now knew of the government. Maybe Donald or Yen Sid can shed some light Crypus' strange way of talking.

Fate took care of Sora's affairs for him. Just then, Riku burst into the kitchen, excited. "Sora, we got King Mickey's reply to our letter! We're going to Disney Castle!" he ordered.

"What, now? What for?" Sora stammered. Since when did they write a letter?

"Remember Monday night? Kairi wrote a letter to King Mickey concerning the packages. I told her to tell him to contact Yen Sid," - Riku held up a hand – "Let me finish! Today I was practicing on the play island when I saw a letter on the sand."

"Oh! From the King!" Sora cried as he got up in excitement. He remembered now!

Riku nodded and held up a wrinkled brown sheet. "Right. I read it and it says to come to Disney Castle right away! Yen Sid's gong to be there. He has new info on the Nobodies."

"And the three fairies?"

"King Mickey says he'll summon them."

"That's great!"

"That's right. Where's Kairi?"

"Huh?"

"Where's Kairi? Isn't she here?" Riku's expression switched from eagerness to worry. "Because I went to her house and she's not there."

"We can't leave without her," Sora agreed. "Where can she be?"

"We have to find her right away," Riku reminded Sora. "The letter said Yen Sid can only be at Disney Castle for a short while."

They searched every hangout they could think of. They searched Riku's house, the play island, the local mall, the school library, the public library nearby, and even Selphie's house ("Do you know what time it is?" the grouchy brunette girl complained. "It's Sunday, geez! Let a girl sleep in!"). Kairi was nowhere in the general vicinity.

"We'll have to take off without her ... Yen Sid can't wait," Riku concluded sadly.

"But -" Sora protested, but Riku held up a hand.

"We can tell her everything when we get back. It's not like she's in any danger while we're gone," the older teen consoled. "She's at Destiny Islands!" It was one of the safest places to live in the world, according to a recent news article.

"Right," Sora had no choice to agree. Time was slipping, and Riku was convincing. It wasn't like she would get into anything reckless. Would she?

A while ago, at Kairi's house ...

_We __have__ to tell him about this_.

Her mind was firm. Riku was wrong. Sora was wrong, to go along with Riku. This whole stupid business with "preserving the world order" and "keeping Rufaus in the dark" was wrong, wrong, wrong. And hypocritical, considering that Rufaus was so intimately connected with it, considering his father!

So ... might as well write a letter, a confession.

Kairi looked down on her piece of paper and wondered whether she should do this by pen, or keyboard. Should she write it out? If so, her handwriting would be recognized; she and Rufaus compared class notes often. Wasn't that her intent? She should do it; she could always consider her handwritten result a rough draft and type up a better version later. That thought made her happier and she began her work:

_Dear Rufaus,_

_I'm sorry for not telling you this earlier. We (Sora, Riku, and I) know all about what happened to your parents last year, and the matter concerning your dad. Riku thinks this a top secret matter, but he's wrong. This is also a personal matter too ... for you_.

Nice introduction, but it must make way for the body. Kairi fidgeted at her desk; it seemed so easy in her mind. Never mind, she must get the truth out. Concealing the truth never helped anyone. Not Namine. Not Larxene or Marluxia. Not Zexion. Hiding the truth was just as bad as distorting memories.

_I know this sounds like a fairy tale, but it's all true. Last year, the world was invaded by monsters called Heartless. The Heartless are creatures of darkness that suck the hearts out of people, hence their name. That's what happened to your parents. The Heartless can only be destroyed by a weapon called the Keyblade, which only the Keyblade Master can wield. The Keyblade master is a figure of legend._

_Sora is the current Keyblade Master. He and Riku were missing for a year because they were on other worlds, looking for me. We recently returned home because we thought Sora's mission was over. It wasn't. He still has the Keyblade. You can ask him to summon it, if you don't believe me_.

She paused and took a deep breath. Should she tell them about Nobodies as well? What about Maleficent or Princesses of Heart? No, Rufaus wouldn't care for that stuff, if that was not related to his father. Then should she mention Organization XIII? Roxas?

_The Heartless sometimes leave behind Nobodies. A Nobody is a new being formed from the leftover soul and body of a Heartless victim. That's what happened to your dad. But he's not really your dad._

She frowned and erased the last two sentences. _Sora has some issues with the Nobodies,_ she wrote, _and the Nobodies are connected to your dad_. Much better. Should she write about Kingdom Hearts too? No, she already gave away too much. So she ended her letter quickly:

_That's all I can tell you now. If you need to know more, invite me over and we can talk about everything._

_Sincerely, Kairi_

_PS: I wrote this without Riku's or Sora's knowledge. Don't tell them of this. At least, don't tell Riku._

_PPS: I am NOT making this up! I am NOT insane! Ask Sora to summon the Keyblade!_

There! Now it was really finished. Awkwardly composed, but still finished! Hopefully, Rufaus won't interpret this as a love letter. The redhead stifled a giggle. _Yeah right!_ Everyone at school knew that she and Sora were a pair! Smiling, Kairi folded the letter and put it in an envelope. Then she turned the house upside down looking for a postage stamp.

"Oh no! Where are the stamps?!"

Maybe she could mail it later. But it would be too late: Sora's duel with Jasper was this Friday. She would prefer it if Rufaus got the letter sooner, like tomorrow afternoon. She still had his home address ... and enough money for two bus tickets...

Currently she was riding a bus downtown.

What had she gotten herself into? She was risking the world order. She was breaking Riku's and Sora's trust, or at least Riku's. She was revealing sensitive info. She was not too bothered by that. Okay … she was bothered by that, a little.

But Rufaus was her friend, and friends help each other, not matter how briefly they knew each other. She was helping Rufaus by letting him know what just happened to his loved ones, the ones whose fate he wanted to know most in the world_. That's all he ever wanted to know, he told me that once. _

Meanwhile, squat, squashed buildings rolled past her window. Downtown was a completely different world from her neighborhood. Apparently the planners got away with packing as many low-cost high-rises as possible into a small area. Every building looked the same, were in the same style. Some were ingeniously designed to compensate for their shortcomings, but those were few and far between. What a ruinous place. Yet it and her home shared the same sky.

Kairi got off at the intersection of Butler Blvd. and Messick Ave. and walked to Rufaus' address. It was as she remembered it; a short green tower block done in some obscure, short-lived architectural style. She hurried to the row of mailboxes that lined the ground floor of Rufaus' complex when she realized she needed a mail key.

"Oh no! Not again!" Well ... maybe she could slip it under his door or something.

She crept up the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible, hoping not to be seen. Luck was with her. She snuck to the door labeled #128, hoping it won't open. Luck was still with her. Crouching down, she was about to slip the note under the door when she heard muffled voices within.

Was Rufaus talking to himself? He seemed mad. She overheard more and froze. Did Rufaus just say ... "Heartless?"

Curiously overtook her, and she peeked in.

The place had been completely renovated. The living room was now a miniature gym: exercise equipment everywhere. Workout DVDs now lined the DVD rack next to the TV instead of blockbusters. A poster of the food pyramid had replaced a wall portrait. Uncle Thaddeus was going to do good on his promise to lose weight.

"Heartless! That's so heartless!" Rufaus was yelling into the phone. "You can't send me to boarding school now, Grandma! I like it here!"

"You undervalue your education," was the curt reply on the other end. It was faint, but Kairi overheard every word. "You have to compensate for your father's earlier ... neglect."

"Grandma," Rufaus seethed, "studies have shown that home-schooled children actually score higher on - "

"Studies? Just some guesses! As misleading as the Strong Inventory Test. What college would accept you if you don't have credentials from a high-quality school?"

"Destiny High is an excellent school - "

"It's a public school! A state-funded school with no reputation!"

Despite her sympathy for Rufaus, Kairi couldn't help but feel relief. Rufaus wasn't talking about the Heartless after all. He was only using the word as a label against his hostile grandparent.

Rufaus' grandmother now tried a new, sneakier tactic: family loyalty. "You don't want to bother your uncle while he recovers from his heart attack. He needs to focus."

"That's nonsense! I'm going to help him with his -"

"He can't lose weight if he's too busy taking care of you. He can't have distractions! You have to take other people into consideration, Rufaus. You're so selfish sometimes."

"No," Rufaus answered coldly. "You're selfish. You just want me out of your way."

A colder pause on the other end, then a most icy response: "We'll talk about this tomorrow." _Click._

"Don't say I'll make new friends ..." Rufaus seethed into the phone. Then he slammed the phone down on the receiver and called his grandmother by the worst cuss word ever to label a female; not the b-word, not even the s-word ... the c-word!

Outside, Kairi shuddered. She never saw Rufaus so angry before. The only person in her memory more angry-looking than he was a cruel young woman with slicked-back blond hair ... wait a minute, _her_ memory? Never mind. She'd leave as soon as she got the letter under the door.

"Why did the Heartless take Mom and Dad instead of her?" lamented Rufaus.

Kairi's joints turned to ice.


	19. Chapter 18

Yen Sid appeared just as Sora remembered: bearded, wise and regal, garbed in blue robes. He sat behind a polished wooden desk, hands folded in his lap. The sole difference now was his wizard's hat no longer sat on his head; it rested on the desk. As soon as he came in, Sora and Riku bowed.

"Arise, Chosen One of the Keyblade. Arise, loyal friend of the Chosen One," intoned the sorcerer.

Obediently, the two teens got up and looked around. The walls were lined with bookshelves, though the room was nowhere as stacked as the Royal Library. It was also rather cramped. Sora was reminded of the Sorcerer's Loft. He and Riku were escorted here by Goofy and Max as soon as they exited their gummi ship. There were no greetings between friends; there was no time. When would be a good time to talk about Sora's duel with Jasper, then?

"You said you have new information on the Nobodies, sir?" Sora asked politely.

"Yes. It will most interest you, as it interested the king," spoke the sorcerer, rising to his full height. "It was he who convinced me to come see you, Sora and Riku. My time is short. I will not repeat what I say."

"That's fine. Just cut to the chase then," Riku said, not as politely.

"As you know, Nobodies are formed from the body and soul of those with strong wills and hearts," began Yen Sid. He paused to make sure his two pupils were paying attention. "The majority of Nobodies lose human form, but some retain it. You know from experience that the latter are smarter, stronger, and much harder to fight."

"I'd say! Fighting Organization XIII was a nightmare!" groaned Sora. Harder than fighting Maleficent, even in dragon form!

"Don't forget Jasper!" quipped Riku. "Kairi said you barely made it last time."

"Jasper isn't as hard as Xaldin or Xigbar ... just trickier. He kept running away like a coward, so we never really finished a fight. His gun wasn't like Organization weapons, either. Not in design ..." Sora trailed off, hit by a revelation, and fixated enlightened blue eyes on Yen Sid. "Last time, you talked about Organization XIII. Now you're gonna talk about other human-form Nobodies like Jasper Reddison!"

The wise wizard nodded.

"That's great!" said Riku, now excited, now on a roll. "You're going to help Sora beat Jasper Reddison! Is that why you're here?"

"No. I can only advise," chided the wizard. He focused his beady eyes on Sora now. "First, his origins: you said he seemed different from human-form Nobodies you fought before?"

"Come to think of it, yeah ..." said Sora. Jasper Reddison was different from Organization XIII, but also from Crypus Thorson, and not just in clothing.

"I have a theory. Recent research revealed to me that there is more than one way to create a human-form Nobody," explained Yen Sid. The sorcerer raised his left hand and made a brief, complex gesture. Behold! In the far corner, there formed an image of a fourteen year old Sora. It vanished, replaced by two images: a Shadow, and Roxas in his Organization coat. "If a person with a strong heart - such as you - falls to Darkness, a Heartless is born from his heart and a Nobody is formed from his body and soul." The wizard dismissed his illusion with a lowered hand. "If he was exceptional in nature, the resulting Nobody retains some resemblance of his former form."

"Stop giving us what we already know," said Riku tersely. "What does this have to do with Jasper Reddison?"

"I get it ... Jasper wasn't human-shaped in the beginning, huh?" realized Sora. The brunet thought back to how the man acted in his dreams. White in garb, dutiful in nature … Jasper acted almost the same as the Dusks who came to take him away on the first day - huh? Where did that thought come from?

"Yes. Jasper Reddison is different," said Yen Sid, waving a hand. "This is his former form, according to my calculations." In the far corner, another image formed: a man with grey-streaked hair in casual garb. It split into two images: a Neo-shadow ... and an Assassin Nobody.

The boys gasped; their foe's reputation as a high-caliber assassin, his method of swimming underneath floors, his_ gun_ ... everything made sense now. Almost. "But Roxas was Jasper's liege ... not Axel," asserted Riku. "Shouldn't he be a Samurai?"

"Roxas and Axel were friends. Maybe they ... um, swapped underlings?" guessed Sora.

"Who knows? Axel's dead, who cares?" was his friend's flippant retort.

Sora frowned in response, and Riku blinked at Sora's sour reaction to his last sentence. _Guess Sora cared_ _about him_, he thought. That crazy redhead did help him get to the World that Never Was.

"How did Jasper become a human-form Nobody if he started out as an Assassin?" Sora asked Yen Sid.

Yen Sid folded his arms behind his back and answered, "As I said before, there is more than one way to create a human-form Nobody." He looked at the Assassin-image. "It seems that while a strong heart is enough to make a Dusk or Creeper, more is required for other varieties."

"What?" wondered Sora. What did Jasper focus on, besides trying to get Roxas back? Of course ... "Memory?" _Memories of his wife and son. _

A youthful smirk briefly flashed on Yen Sid's venerable face. Nearby, the Assassin image was replaced with an image of a man with grey bangs in a neat white suit. "You guessed correct. You are wiser now, Sora. Remember that Nobodies can think and plan." The wizard sat down. "Nobodies can remember."

"So ... strong wills help to hang onto memories," murmured Sora. So, that was how a strong heart and will manifested itself in a dying Heartless victim: refusal to fall into complete oblivion and forget everything about one's self, even as everything else disintegrated…

"Those who remember the barest facts about themselves become Dusks and Creepers," continued Yen Sid. "Those who remember more - say, their occupation or life's work - become higher-rank primitive Nobodies: Sorcerers, Snipers, Samurai."

The boys nodded. That made sense.

"Finally, those whose wills were so strong that they remember most of their former selves ... retain most of their former guise."

"The longer their chain of memories, so to speak ... the more human-like and powerful they become," continued Sora. _A Chain of Memories._ He smiled at the phrase. It didn't seem to come from his imagination. He heard it from somewhere, perhaps?

Then he heard a shocked gasp from his friend. "The exceptional ones are those who gained their human forms _right at the start_!" yelled Riku, bright aquamarine light dawning in his eyes. "But others start out as primitive Nobodies, don't they?"

"Yes," voiced Yen Sid. "My theory is this: Nobodies can evolve. If, say, a Dusk somehow remembers more of its former self, it may turn into a higher-rank Nobody ... or eventually, even a human-form Nobody. Many higher-rank primitive Nobodies probably came from Dusks."

"It's possible that left alone, every Nobody could eventually gain human form," Riku joked.

"You'll have to wait an eternity. Only some eventually remember enough to regain human form," Yen Sid countered. "The majority remain Dusks."

A new problem came to Riku: "Wait, what about Roxas? He remembered nothing about being Sora. Why wasn't he a Dusk?"

"Roxas was an exception," explained Yen Sid. "Perhaps it was because he was a Keyblade Master's Nobody, or because Sora gave up his heart voluntarily. I never said there weren't exceptions." The mage sat down.

"Actually, I remembered ..." began Sora, but he dropped the line of thought.

"Nobodies that regain human form differ from those that retain human form in other ways," continued the sorcerer. "Regainers lack elemental powers, unique weapons, or their own ranks of Nobodies to control.

"Regainers … they're different from Retainers … less powerful," Sora told himself.

"That is all I know. The three fairies will now tell you of their government." The mage prepared to leave, reaching over to grab his hat.

"No, wait!" objected Riku. "How do we change him back?"

"Huh?" wondered Sora. Yen Sid stopped in mid-rising.

Riku pressed on, "You said Jasper was once an Assassin. So how do we change him back?" His voice grew breather as a tenuous hope rose inside him. "That's why you came, right? To tell us how?" If they could transform Jasper back to his Assassin form, then Sora's duel would be a sure victory. Sora had plenty of experience fighting (and destroying) Assassin Nobodies! "We can, right?"

"How _Sora_ can change him back, you mean," corrected the wizard. "You have no part to play in this."

Riku frowned and folded his arms, recalling earlier retorts. _Stay out of it. This does not concern you_, indeed!

"Why would I want that?" countered Sora, ignoring Riku's bewildered stare. The duel was supposed to be man to man; it was supposed to be fair, not fail-safe.

Yen Sid answered Riku's question (not Sora's) with one of his own: "Sora, have you been practicing your magic?"

"Huh? Um..." No. To tell the truth, he rarely used the Keyblade for magic, except for Curaga. Thundaga was useful in a pinch, and Blizzaga he found useful against undead pirates, but Firaga? Aero? Magnet? Forget it. Sora's sheepish face told Yen Sid everything.

"A sad consequence," the mage lamented as he paced around the room. "Still ... even if you had practiced, it might take magic beyond your skill to reveal his former form." He stopped by a shelf of books and leafed through its selections. "Spells such as Dispel or True Form ... or something even more complicated." He scowled. None of the books here were of any help.

"Never heard of them before," admitted Sora. Dispel? True Form? Must be non-combative spells; he rarely used such spells.

"I must go. Tell Donald to instruct you in True Form and Dispel," ordered Yen Sid. "In the meantime, the three good fairies await you." At once he vanished in a puff of smoke. Only now did the two teens notice the door on the far side of the door. Doubtless the fairies were waiting inside. Sora smiled. It really was like his first visit to the Sorcerer's Loft.

"Donald better know how to teach. At least we have something up our sleeve now," said Riku. "Onward?" He wondered where Kairi was. She just missed out on a lot.

Meanwhile, back at Destiny Islands ...

Kairi fled out of the apartment complex, afraid. No; she wasn't afraid of Rufaus reading her letter. She was afraid of someone she saw out of the corner of her eye ... someone with white hair and red eyes. The last time she saw him, he was at Disney Castle! He was supposed to stay at Disney Castle! Was no haven safe anymore? _I forgot to mention the man in her letter to Disney Castle_, she realized. Now shame as well as fear ran through the girl.

Did he see her loitering at Rufaus' door? No; she had already traveled down the stairs when she saw his form. He was standing next to the lift, oblivious to everything. She had bolted in fright. Now, as she waited at the bus stop, peering cautiously for him, she replayed an earlier conversation she had with Rufaus...

"_Why did the Heartless take Mom and Dad instead of her? Why do I have the worst grandmother in existence?" His voice was laced with unnatural hatred._

_Creak. "Rufaus? Is something wrong?"_

"_Kairi? What are you doing here?"_

"_I heard you talking on the phone. You sound upset ... what's wrong?"_

"_My grandma, that's what. She wants to send me to a boarding school." He grimaced. "A private preparatory school. In another state."_

The bus arrived, and she got on. It was too late; she had spilled her secret. Sora's and Riku's secret, too. Well ... she wasn't the first; evidently Sora told Rufaus something about Heartless before. She didn't blame Sorahim; it was in line with what she knew of the brunet. Sora helped everyone he befriended, whether it was saving lives, finding puppies, or telling the truth. Too bad Sora garbled the truth:

"_My guess is that," Rufaus mused as he paced around the gym, "the Heartless secrete a poison through their claws, which causes death, or heart conditions and emotional imbalances. Victims that die, they devour whole. They take victims that don't die with them." He faced her, expecting some response. "Sounds plausible?"_

_Kairi sat on the couch, bewildered. For a guy who knew nothing, he knew a lot. Nonetheless, she began to correct him: "Heart conditions?"_

"_Fatal, whether gradually or over a long period of time. I think."_

"_Hmm. Actually ..."_

She had straightened out what Sora garbled. Rufaus had a pretty good idea of the truth now, thanks to hee. She wondered what Monday would bring. It would bring Rufaus, at least; his grandmother's horrid decision to send him to a prep school, even if executed, would take time.

Back at Disney Castle...

As soon as the boys came into the next room, they lost sight of it as the fairies flittered in front of them to spill the facts. "You heard Yen Sid? We know more! Many Dusks remain Dusks, but some evolve in the span of weeks!" exclaimed Fauna.

"It's not based on quantity," interjected Merryweather. "It depends on which memories are regained -"

"This one time, I saw a Creeper become a Dancer in one day -"

"ENOUGH!" roared Flora, giving her comrades a withering look. She gestured to the two poor boys. "You're confusing them, dears! We're supposed to talk about the Government."

"We know!" insisted Merryweather. She flew close to Sora. "But first ... there's another difference between, as you say, Regainers and Retainers. Guess!"

Sora mentally contrasted Jasper Reddsion with Crypus Thorson and various Organization members. The former was subservient, the latter were authoritarian. He answered, "Retainers are the ones with power. Only Retainers can hold powerful positions." _In the government, or Organization XIII. _

"Right!" Happy, the blue fairy rejoined her sisters. "Speaking of the Government ... we learned quite a lot about it this past week!" Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "Guess its name."

"The Government?" guessed Riku. "Government ... insert Roman numeral here?"

"Dark City Government, DarkGov for short," said Flora, hovering above Merryweather and asserting her head status. "We spent only a week snooping around its headquarters. Forgive us, dears."

"Now, now … we did the best we could," said Fauna. She smiled at Sora and Riku. "It's a democracy, but only the Retainers can run for office."

"Democracy?!" Riku cried, aghast. Not a dictatorship? Surely, an evil place such as Dark City, full of evil beings called Nobodies, should only have an evil government like a dictatorship in power - ... fine, it made sense when he thought about it. Nobodies, being amoral, would never abide by divine right of kings, would never follow rulers (just or not) which they had no part in choosing. _They're all evil, they all want to be in charge_, he assumed. _So they prefer a democracy, where technically everyone's in charge._

"Direct democracy," corrected Merryweather. "Only human-form Nobodies can participate. Even then, many don't participate." She smirked at Flora. "I told you we should have done this before! We would have learned more by now."

Sora was busy digesting this news. "I guess Regainers like Jasper ... can still vote and stuff." Or work for the Government, like he did for Organization XIII. It occurred to him that he knew little about Jasper's relation to either group. How did Jasper know Roxas? Or Crypus? "Um ... go back to the beginning. A democracy, huh? What's it like?"

"So far, we know of general assembly and an elected council," Flora explained smoothly. "The council has seven members."

"No military or police force, either!" Merryweather exclaimed.

Riku nodded. That made sense: having a police force implied caring for one's fellow man, and Nobodies could not care, lacking hearts. No military? Guess Organization XIII took over those functions.

"The punishments for law-breaking are pretty harsh, gracious!" disapproved Fauna. "It's usually the death penalty!"

Sora nodded, remembering. _Strict guidelines. We don't allow deviation._

Fauna wanted to say something, but faltered. "I ... I can't remember the council positions, dears. Help please?"

"Three are obvious: the mayor, the treasurer, the secretary…" chirped Merryweather.

"The sewer system head was very important for some reason," quipped Fauna. Not surprising: with Dark City's high precipitation, no doubt the person who maintained the sewers had plenty of power.

"What were the other positions...?" muttered Flora to herself, irked that the task of recalling the rest fell to her.

"Sounds like the city council back home," chuckled Sora. "Kinda." No doubt Dark _City_'s government would resemble the ones of normal cities.

But not completely. "Of course, a normal town and one full of Nobodies won't exactly resemble each other," snorted Riku.

"Before we continue, we'll show you what their uniform." With a wave of her wand, Flora made an illusion of her own. A bodiless wizard-like outfit hovered in the far corner of the room. It was grey with darker grey trim, with drooping sleeves and a jeweled brooch. Sora almost gasped.

"That's Crypus' clothes!" he wanted to shout, but restrained himself. He can talk about Crypus in time. He can talk about the contract in time...

Back at Destiny Islands ...

_What a talk_, thought Kairi as she slumped down on her bed. Listening to Rufaus was like following an intense 20-minute workout video.

_Rufaus flopped down on the couch and closed his eyes. "When Grandma learned Uncle Thaddeus moved here and enrolled me at Destiny High, she had a fit," he explained. "She wants me to go to a private preparatory school, like she like. Like Uncle Septimus and Thaddeus did. Dad too." _

"_I didn't know your dad went to a private school," Kairi responded, feigning interest._

_The blue haired boy was silent (was he asleep?) for a while before he opened his eyes to see if she was still there. "Dad said it was hell. Why else was I homeschooled?"_

_Her mind was on Heartless, letters, and other matters, but she must play the part of the concerned friend, so she said, "I never knew that. Go on."_

"_According to Liz, prep school makes people insane." Rufaus' eyes glazed over with worry. "I'm not talking about the curricula, though I'm worried about that, too. The parents." He closed his eyes. "The parents go insane trying to put their kids in the school of their choice, and pushing their kids through school."_

"_Maybe you won't have to go," she consoled. "Maybe your uncle will object."_

"_Maybe I'll fail the entrance exams," Rufaus countered easily. "Maybe I'll burn out or break down and have to come back here. That'd happen first." He made a dismissive gesture with his right hand. "Uncle Thaddeus's a good person. Enrolling me in public school was one of his better ideas. But … if he wants to stay in Grandma's good graces -" _

"_Maybe your dad will come back and take you back to Kismet," suggested Kairi wildly. But that was a whole new box of problems._

_Rufaus smiled slightly. "I used to dream about that. I stopped for a while, until this week. But I digress. Things have been up and down all week."_

_Kairi nodded. "I see. Your dad's back, but so is your grandma. Is that why?"_

It took her a long while to get him to talk about Heartless; first she had to let him get his worries about prep schools (and a grandparent who refused to relinquish her authority over her grandson, despite having relinquished custody rights) off his brain. But she succeeded, eventually.

"_Private school can't be that different from public school. You haven't even been to one," she chided. "Also, while you were on the phone, I heard something about Heartless. Is ... is … what's a Heartless?"_

"_Sora told me about them. He gave me the name and ... have you been to Gladstone Public Library?"_

"_No ... never heard of it."_

"_It's near where I live. Maybe that's why. Last Saturday I went there and research the word Heartless and … it was like finding the Holy Grail!"_

_She had visited only school libraries and the local public library. They had books on legends about other worlds, but not Heartless. Downtown really was another world. "I'll to have to visit that library one day ... I've never heard of Heartless before. Not from there."_

_Rufaus handed her a picture of Dark City. "There's also this postcard from Dad..." _

Speaking of parents and grandparents, Kairi was glad hers weren't like the Lisset's. Prep school sounded scary; at least she was unconscious or left alone when in Maleficent's or Saix's clutches! But scarier than prep school was the prospect of Rufaus leaving. How could the fates give her a new friend - a friend who shared interests with her that Sora and Riku didn't - just to take him away to an unwanted fate? After mere months?

At least it wasn't six days, dear princess. Now _that _would be a downer. Back at Disney Castle, in another room...

Sora was busy. He was also frustrated and a bit dizzy. Who knew magic was actually this ... complicated?

"You gotta concentrate!" commanded Donald Duck. "This isn't Firaga!"

"C'mon, Sora!" cheered Goofy next to Donald. The two friends watched as Sora practiced. "You're gettin' good!"

"Not good enough," muttered the duck.

An ornate marble pedestal stood in front of the boy. In reality, it was a wooden chair, changed into its new from by Donald. Sora's current task was to cast True Form on it. He had yet to fulfill this task. "True Form!" he cried, and mentally recited the incantations that should create the spell.

It was True Form, not Firaga, and the incantation was longer and trickier than his young mind could handle. His tongue slipped and his magic evaporated into air, wasted. "Not again!" he groaned. It was hard enough with a stationary target: imagine how hard it would be with a moving, hostile, intelligent target named Jasper Reddison!

He tried again. The pedestal shimmered this time. Goofy was right; Sora was improving. Still, he hadn't improved enough.

"Sora, you can't let the Keyblade do everything!" reminded Donald. "You have to think the spell through."

"I know!"

The feathered magician watched the teen try again. Such gusto! Such will! Such inexperience. "Sora ... are you sure you don't want me to prepare a scroll?" Donald offered.

"Nope."

"Huh." Donald Duck wondered why the boy insisted on learning such difficult magic out of the blue.

Outside, Mickey Mouse learned why as well. "He challenged Jasper to a duel? Gosh! Golly!" the king cried.

Riku nodded. "Why did you think he came here, Mickey? At least Jasper agreed to stay out of his hair until Friday." He puckered his brow in worry. "It's not fair that we can't go with him. Isn't there anything we can do?"

Mickey nodded. "There is. We encourage Sora and support him in his decision."

Riku wanted to pull at his hair. "I know, but …"

"We'll be in his heart, giving him strength." Mickey looked solemn. "We can't interfere. Remember when you fought Xehanort's Heartless at Castle Oblivion? You said you had to face him alone. Now, Sora has to face Jasper alone. It's the same thing."

"Yeah..." he acquiesced, but his mind disagreed. Yes, he remembered Castle Oblivion. Yes, he faced the false Ansem alone ... and nearly perished. But Mickey was there, aiding him and taking him out of harm's way while disguised as a ball of light.

_I know you wanted to do this alone, but you don't mind a LITTLE help, right?_

Yes, he remembered.

Riku and Mickey heard muffled cheers. Inside the room, Sora succeeded in casting True Form. "You got True Form!" came Donald's faint voice. "Now time for Dispel. Riku and Mickey heard muffled groans.

Later...

Sora took out the contract from his pocket and reread the fine print, squinting.

_I didn't tell anyone about the contract. I forgot. My bad. Oh well._

Rufaus took out the cityscape postcard from behind his bed. Kairi's visit had soothed the stung of Grandma. He read one line over and over, smiling.

_Once, I gave up all hope of finding "Ms. Right," and then I met your mother!_

Kairi took out her notebook from under her desk. She looked over her old drawings, never smiling once.

_My letter isn't enough. I never needed to send a letter. Rufaus already knows.._

Kairi was somber-faced when Sora and Riku saw her again. They ran up to her, profusely apologized to her, promised her this would never happen again, and offered to make it up to her next week. They assumed she was upset over being left out of today's trip. How wrong they were.


	20. Chapter 19

For Sora, the next four days went by like a dream. He remembered practicing magic at the play island after school, casting every magic spell he knew on every object he saw. "True Form!" he cried.

"Not good enough!" Donald Duck warned when he transformed a fast-moving dragon-like creature into a fast-moving toy airplane.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora huffed. "I cast it, didn't I?"

"Not _fast_ enough!"

For all his demands, Donald was a great help. Under orders from his king, the magician had arrived at Destiny Islands (in his own ship) to coach Sora in magic, especially In True Form and Dispell. He camped at the play island.

He trained Sora in other areas as well, though not as expertly. "Clear your mind. You must have inner peace to master your anger," he once preached.

Sora chuckled. "This coming from someone who can't control his?"

"WHAT?" Steam emitted from Donald's head. "Why I -" Mad squawking followed.

Sora burst out loud laughing. "How about I just do the opposite of everything you do?"

"No!"

"Then … do I really have to do this?"

"Yes!"

Sora nodded, his heart sinking. In previous fights with Jasper, near defeat came not with grave injury but losing his temper to the man's taunts. Losing to anger was paramount to losing his heart. Would Jasper try the same tactic again? Probably. Did he use it on Sora last Saturday…?

_Was his stunt last Saturday the same? To provoke me into challenging him to a duel?_ Sora pushed that thought to oblivion. _His trick's gonna backfire on him, that's for sure!_

His sessions with Donald passed like a dream too, just a more vivid dream than the rest of the week. When Sora finally woke up (so to speak), it was Friday, 4:50-ish in the afternoon. He was downtown, traversing a concrete cave alone. The parking garage, he realized.

Huh? What happened? Friday already? How could a week pass by so fast?

* * *

"_Rufaus knows," Kairi told Riku as other students filed inside. It was Friday morning._

"_What?"_

"_The Heartless." A pause, then: "He knows about the Heartless, as much as us. I told you so."_

"_Holy - !" Riku looked around, panicked. "How? Why?" _

"_Sora told him, because of his dad. Jasper too. Also, there were-"_

"_This is crazy!" Riku wanted to run to Sora and confront his friend, but stopped himself and groaned, "This is … not surprising from Sora." The brunet was so open-hearted … and open-mouthed. He was always following his heart, always opening up to friends … even one related to his current foe. "So, did Rufaus go insane?" _

"_No! He seemed happy."_

"_The sane kind of happy … or the obsessed nut job's variety?"_

"_Riku!"_

"_Seriously…" Riku kept his breath even as he pondered the situation. How would Rufaus act on knowledge of Heartless? Would he become like Xehanort, spurred by finding one secret to seek more secrets not meant to be known? _

"_Kairi, you visited him yesterday," he suddenly realized. "Did you ..?"_

"_No. No, of course not!" She shook her head, but her tone seemed hesitant. Guilty._

* * *

Thoughts of Rufaus dropped from Sora's mind like so much excess baggage when the boy spied his friend's father ('s Nobody) some yards ahead. 

"So you've come," Jasper remarked.

"Yeah, yeah." Sora stopped in his tracks. "Just open a dark corridor already."

"How impatient. As you wish." Jasper opened a portal and promptly stepped through. Sora hesitated before stepping through; Jasper wouldn't have entered first if the other side held a trap. The contract disallowed traps or tricks.

He stepped into an area that was at once familiar and foreign.

He had never been there, for sure; nonetheless, it seemed familiar. The sky was overcast but noon; he was in a different time zone. The air was chilly, but dry; he was in a cooler climate. The huge grass field on which he stood wore several concrete roads; a small stone fountain poured out water at the center. The huge, gothic-looking building in the background …

It was the same landmark in the picture of Rufaus and his father. "What is this place?"

"Kismet." Jasper's voice took on a solemn texture. "We currently stand in the largest courtyard of Kismet Cathedral, its oldest and most famous building. Quite a landmark."

"So big … so quiet ... no one's here," the boy murmured.

"The better to stage our duel," Jasper explained, but Sora sensed his true reason: it held a personal memory. It was probably the same memory that generated his human form. Of course, there was a more practical, more abstract reason …

"For you. Not for me," Sora pointed out. "You know this place. I don't."

"False. I visited only once!" Jasper inspected his wristwatch. "4:56. Still not five yet."

"Good." Sora set out to explore the site and catch up to Jasper in area familiarity. The concrete roads were quite slippery – he would have to be careful. The Cathedral itself: was it part of their battleground, or off-limits? The fountain might make good cover.

"4:58," said Jasper out of the blue.

"Huh?"

Jasper ignored him and strolled on a concrete stream. "It was good meeting you, Roxas' Other. Even if you are less intelligent and more touchy-feeling than I expected. A true _homo sentimentalis_." He clicked his tongue in disapproval. "_Homo sentimentalis is in reality identical to homo hystericus_."

"Is this from a book?"

"Hmm? Yes."

_Probably from a Kundera novel_, Sora thought. _Figures._ "Are you trying to psych me out?" Again? "It won't work this time."

"No." Jasper stopped and looked at his watch again. "No more persuasion. No more diversion. No more delay. 4:59."

Sora summoned his Keyblade and equipped it with his strongest keychain, Ultima Weapon. "Okay, let's get this over with."

* * *

_Rufaus fingered the letter and read it again. It had become a daily habit; every time he read it, his heart raced and his palms dampened. He remembered the first time he read it, Sunday night, when his world underwent a paradigm shift. _

_Everything made sense now: his parents' disappearance, his new friend's strange behavior, the word his new friend gave, and his father's strange gifts and stranger letters … everything._

_Coming here was fate. It wasn't called Destiny Islands for nothing. _

_Only fate could have directed him to the one place where his mystery was finally solved – the very homeland of the fabled Keyblade Master, the one enemy of the Heartless, the monsters that took his parents. His new friend, the legendary Keyblade Master._

_If the Keyblade Master was the foe of the Heartless, what was his relation to Nobodies? What did the letter mean by that word? Its one flaw was that it did not go into details concerning Nobodies. _

"_Or Dad. Why is Dad so hesitant to reveal himself?" _

_Rufaus shoved that thought into a forgotten cranny in his brain. Dad had his reasons. At any rate, he was thankful for Kairi's visit. He ought to invite her over - _

"_Rufaus, come out! Grandma sent some new brochures for you."_

_Sighing, Rufaus put the letter away and trudged to the kitchen. Thaddeus got the mail these days, as to better maximize his activity level. Good idea, since Rufaus no longer enjoyed visiting the mailbox: no packages came from his dad now, just countless brochures for private boarding schools from his grandmother. _

_The teen picked up one shiny leaflet from the kitchen table. "Saint Ivalice?"_

"_An excellent school. One of the best."_

_Rufuas grimaced. "Do I really have to?"_

"_Of course! You're a smart kid, Rufaus. Don't waste your intellectual skills."_

"_What about my social skills? What about my friends, Sora and Kairi?"_

_Thaddeus used the same argument when Rufaus mentioned Caylan and Lisset: "You'll make new friends."_

"_What do you feel about this?"_

_Thaddeus was, for all his faults, an honest man. "Can't care either way, really. If you want to attend a public school and go on to a public college, fine," he shrugged as he went to the gym / living room. "But Grandma won't stand for it. She'll throw you out!"_

_Rufaus sighed. Where was Dad now? Did something happen to him? Now he may never return, which was unfortunate, for the only escape scenario Rufaus saw was if Dad came back and stood up to Grandma …_

* * *

The clock struck five, and the bells of Kismet Cathedral sang five notes of holiness. 

**DONG.** "TRUE FORM!"

**DONG**. His chance for a clear shot gone, Jasper dodged but tripped on a concrete road.

**DONG.** "DISPEL!"

**DONG.** "Damn!" Jasper braced himself on the ground. Nothing happened.

**DONG.** "Nothing happened? What-" Whoosh_, thud. _"ARUGH!"

The boy was not the only one who prepared; the man's gun now had a silencer installed. Now Sora was on the ground too, a numb pain eating at his stomach. He knew what to do; he got out a potion and drained it at once.

"True Form? Dispel?" Jasper wondered as he got up. He got his answer soon enough.

"DISPEL! TRUE FORM!"

Nothing happened.

What the heck? No effect? Did he miss? "Turn back into an Assassin so I can use Fail Safe," Sora muttered sullenly as he kept his distance so he could try again.

Jasper must have heard, for he dipped into the ground. Suddenly he was right in front of the boy, amusement in his green eyes. Sora was reminded of Axel for some reason. "Assassin? I'm glad you remembered _that _about me. Are you returning, my liege?" Jasper grinned.

"No!" Sora impulsively swung the Keyblade. Missed! Like an Assassin, Jasper slapped Sora across the face twice before sinking down. Irate, Sora ran a few paces away and explained, "I don't remember anything. Yen Sid told me!"

"Oh. Then … those spells won't work," explained a white hat floating on grey concrete, its tone disappointed.

Sora froze in mid-step. "What?"

"True Form and Dispel, they won't work. You're using the wrong type of magic."

"Huh. Oh well."

To tell the truth, Sora didn't really want to use those spells. Only at the insistence of Donald Duck did he promise to use them at the start of the duel. _Since Nobodies don't play fair, don't play fair with them!_ Donald had advised.

But it just wasn't his style. He was glad that things turned out the way they did, and his sudden gladness shocked him. He _was_ looking forward to Friday, to get it over with …

Why did he tell him that? Wouldn't it better for the man to let him waste magic?

* * *

_Earlier that week, Kairi suggested to Sora that they visit Rufaus' apartment. Sora declined, tossing his head. "I have to focus on this Friday," he explained._

"_You visited him all week last week."_

"_But the duel …" He looked dazed. "It'd be too weird, to see him." _

_She frowned. It was not like her friend to refuse to associate with someone due to his parentage. "It's not because he's his son, is it?" she inquired tersely. _

"_No! No, of course not! I gotta focus on the duel, that's all."_

_Sora felt an arrow of guilt nick his heart as Kairi left him alone. She was right. Yes, he avoided Rufaus these days because he resembled his father. Sora feared that hanging around his blue-haired friend would result in him throwing the towel on Friday._

_Rufaus sure missed his parents a lot. Jasper sure missed (er, role-played missing) his wife and son a lot, too._

* * *

Comparing the current battle between the Keyblade Master and his Nobody foe to prior battles was like comparing Heimdall and Loki during Ragnarok to Roxas and Setzer during Struggle. 

(At least in both cases, there was a lot of chasing and evading going on).

Words could not do it justice, but would try nonetheless.

A particularly forceful stroke from the Keyblade sent the Nobody fleeing (swimming?) for dear life. Where was he now? Where was his hat? Jasper was nowhere to be found. The boy drank an elixir and scanned the field.

His spiky hair was not so spiky now, half-wilted with sweat. Sweat coated his Keyblade handle and made uneasy his grip on his Keyblade, the Kingdom Key. Yes, the Kingdom Key: some time before, a bullet severed the keychain at the base. No more equipping keychains.

Panting, Sora cast Reflect. This nifty spell had saved his life many times. It turned Jasper's bullets into …something nonfatal, at least. But still painful.

At least his hair was still brown.

Jasper took the duel as seriously as he, and had prepared for it as rigorously as he. Sora knew it before, but only in a shallow, intellectual sense. It took two ethers to drive matters home; Thundaga proved less effective as usual, Blizzaga no longer trapped the man, and Firaga had little effect.

Sora had to resort to good ol' fashioned melee (and took a lot of hits as a consequence). _Man! Is Jasper wearing a Cosmic Belt or something? _

Wary, he entered the Cathedral.

Cool shade refreshed his damp skin. It was a beautiful hall, lined with ornate wooden pews. An ivory, antique-looking pipe organ stood impassively at one end. The stained glass windows, so colorful, so solemn, reminded him of the Station of Serenity …

_Station of Serenity_? Unexpectedly, it began to rain.

"What the?! Ugh!" Without warning, he received three silent wounds in the chest. _What the heck? Where did the rain -_ "Aah!" Make it four wounds. Sora stumbled onto the ground.

Thanks to his spell, he wasn't a Heartless (or Roxas). He ought to cast Curaga, just in case. Where were the shots coming from, and how could it be raining indoors?

Of course, the pipe organ! He ran up to the baroque instrument and pounded randomly at some keys. Instantly a white-dressed man shot out -

"Gotcha!"

- and shot him.

"Oof!"

So he guessed right; Jasper had hidden in the pipe organ to lick his wounds … and to lay in wait for Sora. He had shot at the emergency fire extinguishing system with his pistol. Sora got back up and cast Curaga immediately.

Again, Jasper was nowhere to be seen; likely he ran outside to recover. Sora had landed in several blows before he sought sanctuary in the church: so much for sanctuary.

_I need to recover too. Rethink my strategy. Getting close to attack just isn't it. I keep making myself an easy target_, the brunet contemplated as he navigated the pews. Big mistake. Jasper never went outside.

The boy received two hooks to the face. He saw stars and heard the cock of a pistol.

The man wasn't playing anymore, he feared; no more taunts, no more appeals to reason, no more accusations of bigotry or ignorance. No more cat and mouse. This cat was going in for a quick kill.

_No more persuasion. No more diversion. No more delay_, Jasper had said.

_Oh no he doesn't! _Sora resolved.

Metal struck metal, and a small firearm flew like a stone before clacking across the floor like a skipping stone. Before Jasper could react, Sora gave him a few whacks upside the head.

Suddenly, the gun was in his hand again. "You'll pay for that!"

"No I won't! DEFENSE!" Sora stumbled back as he was stung in the chest, then turned tail and ran outdoors. Of course: like Organization members and their weapons, Jasper could summon his gun into his hand if he desired.

Some dozen yards away, a monk thought he heard something, but dismissed it. It was just some trespassing teen, he thought. Or his imagination: nobody was there.

* * *

_The letter was brief and to the point, contained in a plain white envelope. Rufaus would have paid no attention to it … were not for the fact that it was tucked under his door and not in his mailbox. Also, it had no stamp. _

_Hopes that it was from Dad crashed when he read its contents; it was typed, not handwritten. But then disappointment was replaced with shock and awe, and a click in his head as his year-old mystery was solved, just like that._

_Heartless. Keyblade Master. Nobodies. Such powerful words. Rufaus was in the know now. _

_He didn't let anyone let one, however; not even his friend, the Keyblade Master. No doubt Sora's current daze was due to some upcoming mission (his mission wasn't finished, the letter stated); Rufaus couldn't blame him. _

_But if Sora thought he was unable to process information on Heartless, he was wrong._

* * *

**DOOOOOOOONG!** Using the Keyblade, Sora slammed Jasper onto the nearest bell. 

The tide had turned.

How they got up there, he couldn't remember. He remembered making a dodge-roll, making a break for it, fleeing to the stairwell, fleeing up the stairs; he reached the bell tower; he saw bells and got an idea.

Reaction command: High Hit.

Now Jasper was completely disoriented. So was Sora. Ever stood next to a bell as it rang? Not a fun experience for the ears. Fortunately for the teen, he recovered first.

Sora readied his blade, ready to repeat his success, but then Jasper shot at the bell. The resulting sound deafened Sora long enough for him to hesitate – and be pushed off the bell tower.

No big deal. Sora landed on his feet. He suffered worse falls before.

He landed in the fountain, and now his pants were soaked. Looking up, he saw that Jasper was missing from the bell tower. Where did the man go?

"You're not faring well," came a distant voice.

Sora looked around for a hat, a figure in white, anything. "Who's there?"

"Get off the fountain, for God's sake. It's a historical relic and cannot withstand abuse from tourists such as you." Jasper sounded irritated, if still far away.

Wait: jumping off the fountain might be a trap. "I'm fine here, thanks!"

"Suit yourself. You can't reach me from there, but I can reach you." There! In front of him! On the stairs, near the entrance – too late. Jasper fired, hitting his target. _Splash!_

The tide turned again.

* * *

_Crypus Thorson waited as he scanned the wrinkled yellow sheet before him. He liked to wait. He was doing something and at the time doing nothing. Waiting was a contradictory act. Just like him, a Nobody, a being that should not exist, and yet...there he was._

_It was raining outside, he noticed._

_His friend was either having the time of his life, or fighting for his life. Or both: another contradictory fact. Well, Jasper wanted the duel, and he got it. Crypus blamed his Assassin mentality and ought not to care less._

_It rained here nearly every day, so he barely noticed. _

_But he did anyway. The rain was substitute tears in case his friend lost. He didn't care, he couldn't cry, but he wished he would._

* * *

Jasper screamed as he was electrocuted. 

A while ago, the Nobody approached the fountain and peered in with caution; was the Keyblade Master inside? Was he alive? Sora had not gotten up since falling into the water.

Yes, Sora was inside – whoa! He just jumped out and over Jasper's head, landing behind the man. Then he knocked the man into the water and cast Thundaga. The fountain had munny and dirt strewn on the bottom, by the way.

Reaction Command: Fountain Spark.

Sora didn't like it too much. _That's not good … that was overkill._

Downing his last hi-potion, Sora glanced behind him. Was the Nobody defeated? Did he just win the duel? If so, just in time; he was out of potions and ethers; one elixir was left. In addition, he was sick of fighting.

_If only True Form worked the first time … maybe I wouldn't have to kill him. He can't make much trouble as an Assassin._

At least he didn't make the mistake of losing his head during battle (strong though the temptation was); Donald's advice was not for nothing.

A noise from behind made Sora turn around; he had not won yet. Or had he?

As Jasper crawled out of the stone basin, Sora saw the battle had taken a heavy toll on him. If he wasn't a Nobody, Sora would have felt sorry, would have thought, _he's just doing what his heart commands. _

Sora felt kinda sorry anyway.

Jasper's suit was grey with sweat and crud. His blue-grey hair was limp and his bangs obscured his sight almost completely. His most striking feature, however, was his movements: frail and brittle, like an anemic kitten. The man tried to grip the fountain's edge, failed. "Can't … move fingers," he muttered.

"Then I win," Sora declared. "Duel's over."

"What?"

"C'mon, look: you can barely move. I bet you can't even fire your gun. If you can't fire, you can't fight." Sora twirled his Keyblade victoriously. "You lost, I win."

"Not until you finish me."

Sora balked. He knew that was true, and yet …. "Got a better idea: how about you go back to the World that Never Was?"

Jasper smiled. "You're very kind to spare me, my liege … but the contract states that the duel ends only if one of us falls to oblivion."

"Oh, right…hey! Don't call me that!" Sora scratched his head in annoyance. _Geez, the liege nonsense again!_ He checked his hair too: still brown. Guess he hit Jasper in the head once too often.

"Nonetheless, your solution … sounds very appealing." Jasper rested his head on the edge of the fountain, content. "I would accept it. Would Crypus accept it?"

"He better. If he doesn't, I'll beat him like I did Xemnas!" Sora gloated.

"If you do, I'll shoot you in the head." Jasper held no mirth or anger in his voice; he was simply stating a fact.

"How about you tell Crypus to make an exception for us? He's your friend, right?"

"He's … a stickler to regulations, mind you."

"He'll make an exception. I'm sure he doesn't want you to die." He would feel bad, like Roxas did when Axel sacrificed himself for - huh? Whose thought was this?

Sora paused, uneasy. Things were iffy here._ How did I just know Crypus and Jasper are friends? Wait, what's with my sudden mercy? Why am I showing mercy at all? _He tried to shrug it off, blame it to fatigue, couldn't._ Well, at least I can look Rufaus in the eye on Monday … _

Jasper chuckled low. "You assume I can't fight …"

"Yeah, you said you're too weak to – AAAAH!"

Poor Sora, fooled again. Jasper was only pretending to be weak and beaten to lull him into a false sense of victory before pouncing on the boy. Didn't Yen Sid warn about Nobodies and ruses?

Sora screamed as he was shot at point blank range.

* * *

_**My liege.**_

"_What is it?"_

_**An unidentified object is flying towards the site. It's him, we fear. **_

_Crypus stirred like a rabbit sensing wolves. "What? What outrage!" _

_**What will you do, my liege?**_

"_This." Crypus created a dark corridor and went in. He left his servant hanging.  
_

* * *

Either he took one too many hits to the noggin, or he secretly did not want to kill his foe (as well), but apparently Jasper forgot that hearts were located on the _left_ side of one's chest. 

In other words, Sora was still himself, just having difficulty breathing; a punctured and frozen right lung tended to do that. He saw black spots; a head collision with concrete tended to do that.

Revenge for the bell stunt, eh Jasper?

Perhaps in his mad rush, Jasper ran out of bullets, for the final shot never came. He just stood there, gasping, green eyes feral. The man eventually corrected his aim, but never fired. Sora dared to wonder why.

_God … I wish he looked less like Rufaus!_

That man's breath came in small, short spasms. He moved his pale lips, itching to mutter something. He wanted to speak, to protest, to curse fate, to beg the boy to turn into his liege on his own, but hesitated.

_Can't ….move fingers._

That much was true, but was it due to fatigue or fear?

Salvation came for Sora in the form of magic returning to his clothes. He rolled to the right, causing Jasper to shoot at grass and cement. "Heal," he said faintly.

"COME ON!" he yelled loudly as he leaped up and swung true.

Jasper parried like an Assassin Nobody - with his arm. He sunk down and retreated; Sora followed. But the boy stopped – he dared not risk giving himself to battle frenzy - and Jasper rose up and aimed for his chest.

_Click._

Sora could have used this opportunity to close in for the kill, but he held himself back. He must stay calm. He must not fall into rage, into darkness. He was lucky so far.

Jasper quietly reloaded his gun. Not good: he was down to his last cartridge. "Oh."

"Yeah, well ..." Sora took out and fingered his last elixir. He was out of magic, but surely it was wiser to wait for his clothes to replenish it for him?

Jasper saw the pale bottle on his hand. "Your last elixir," he noted.

"Yep."

"Me, I'm all out." He checked his coat pockets to see if he was mistaken. "Lucky you, I'm nearly out of bullets."

Shrugging, Sora pocketed his elixir and readied his weapon. So, both were low on supplies and fighting-spirit. No surprise. This was it: their final round.

"Our last stand," smiled Jasper was he readied his pistol and … "_**What the bloody**_ -!?"

"Sora!"

"We're here!"

"What …?!" Sora could only yell as Riku and Donald Duck unexpectedly came up behind him. Both looked out of breath. How did they come all the way here from Destiny Islands? More importantly, why?

"Guys? What are you doing here?" he stammered.

"We're here to help you, duh," said Riku.

"But … b-but, the duel, it's suppose to be me and him, it's … how did you get here!?"

"I convinced Donald to come with me to, um … crash the duel. We figured the duel has to take place somewhere important to Jasper. So we thought: Kismet!" Riku had a sword by his side, Sora noted. "We used our gummi ship to search the city from up high."

"This city is way too big!" squawked Donald. "It took too long to find you!"

"But now," concluded Riku, "we fight at your side."

"And don't protest!" quipped Donald. "Remember, Sora? All for one and one for all!"

"Yeah, Sora! We fought Xemnas together. So-"

"JUST ONE BLOODY MINUTE!!"

Three heads turned in the direction of a very mad Jasper Reddison. What a change from when he lay at the fountain! His hair was frazzled, on end, like a hostile cat. His eyes were wild, insane with green indignation. His mouth curled back in a snarl. This Nobody was mimicking a most accurate representation of rage Sora ever saw.

"You can't do this!" the man yowled. "You can't interrupt our duel and violate regulations!"

Riku cared not at all. "Yeah, so?"

Donald cared just a little. "Regulations…?"

"The contract," the man explained. "Terms explicably state no outside help!"

Riku looked to Sora for details. "Nobodies don't make promises," the brunet explained, "so they make contracts."

Riku looked back to Jasper. "You made a contract? So what? Since when do regulations mean anything to a Nobody?"

Donald agreed, "Yeah! You don't feel! You don't exist!"

"And if you don't exist," said Riku, "neither does your contract."

Sora scanned his friends, searching his head for a plausible protest. No go: they were willing to defend him to the end, because they were his friends; friendship is…_always right, even when it is in the wrong._

Part of him was glad. Another part, well … being low on healing items and vigor, he needed all the help he could get.

"How about it, Sora?" offered Riku. "One more fight against the Organization?"

Sora declined to answer when he glanced at Jasper again. The man was rigid, a frigid look in his eyes. Slowly, robotically, he raised his hand and readjusted his hat. Sora thought about Demyx for no reason.

"So, my opinions don't count, _I_ don't count at all," Jasper growled. "No matter what I do, how I act … I'm treated as a nothing."

"You are nothing," said Riku. "You're not even Jasper Reddison." With that, he raised his sword. Donald raised his staff. Sora looked at his two friends and slowly raised his Keyblade.

Fatal act: Jasper grew savage at the sight of Sora's betrayal of their terms. "Fine, then! If I'm nothing, you're corpses!"

* * *

_Despite the letter, Rufaus wasn't having a good week at school._

_His father had stopped sending stuff, and his friend had stopped visiting. Were they truly friends? Rufaus liked to think so. Sora was fun and outgoing; Sora was bighearted and understanding. Sora visited him after weekday afternoon, to hang out. _

_I should have known better, Rufaus thought. Sora came because he felt like he had do. Now he was back to hanging around his real friend Riku. Those were the breaks. After all, he knew Sora only for a month. That was not long enough to establish a friendship, was it? _

_Where was Sora now? One would expect him to be at his own house! "Where is he?"_

* * *

The duel grew ten times harder, instead of ten times easier. No more diversions, no more delay. No more pretensions. 

If Jasper fought like a hellcat then, he fought like a hellcat / speed demon cross now. Do Nobodies experience adrenaline rushes? Jasper seemed to be in the grip of one right now. The man moved like a -

"Sora!" cried Donald. "Watch out for-" _Bang!_ "OOOOOW!"

_Thank goodness for Reflect_, thought Sora. They would have died long ago, several times over, were not for copious use of that spell. Just in case, Sora cast it again. Just in time, as he felt a barrel press onto his temple. Was that what Donald tried to warn him about? Too late – _Click._

Jasper cursed. Then he hurled his gun at an unsuspecting Donald, who was trying to get up. CONK! The duck went down, knocked out.

"Hey. Be a gentleman," scolded Riku. "You're out of bullets. Duel's over."

No it wasn't, Jasper demonstrated by sinking into the ground. He reviled them now. "Isti Homines Sentimentales," he muttered to himself. All three of them!

How could the boy do this? How could he let his friends join in? Didn't Sora care about the contract? Jasper believed that, for all his flaws, at least Sora honored agreements; he demonstrated so when he showed up and fought beautifully like Roxas. How could he be so neglectful of it now?

_Homo sentimentalis shames us with his great feelings only to amaze us a moment later with his inexplicable indifference_, he remembered.

"Where is he?" Riku demanded as he and his friends looked around. He got his answer via a hand grabbing his foot and hurling him across grass until his face hit stone.

"Riku!" Sora cried as Riku was slammed against the fountain, face-first.

"Whuh…?" Donald moaned, getting up. Suddenly he got his wrist grabbed and was slammed onto grass. It didn't hurt too bad … but receiving an uppercut to the face did. Jasper rose back into view, a tribute to utter frustration and rage.

Sora couldn't cry out, for hands clutched around his throat. "Turn back into my liege now!" came Jasper's ragged voice.

Sora couldn't speak, couldn't breathe.

"God _damn_ it Sora! We had a contract! Organization XIII had a contract with DarkGov! I tried to be fair before, but no more!" His language grew coarse. "The Keyblade fouled up when it chose you."

Mute, Sora thought about Demyx.

"How could you?! How could you betray the Organization? How could you betray us, an entire city? And now you betray the contract. You're a serial betrayer."

_Silence, traitor. _

"Do you hate me? Hate me for hurting your friends. Hate me for choking you. The sooner you turn into Roxas, the better-"

"Dad!"

Hand fell off his throat, and Sora could breathe again. Instinctively he spun around and slashed Jasper with all his might. The man toppled to the ground. Hands (his own) messaged his throat, and Sora couldn't believe his eyes.

Running to them was Rufaus. Rufaus! Stunned, Sora dropped the Keyblade; it vanished before it hit ground. Rufaus being here, Sora could not fight anymore.

"Dad!" Rufaus ran up and placed himself between them. He faced his downed father, turning his back to Sora. "Don't fight him. He's my friend," he begged. Then he turned around to face Sora. "Don't fight him. He's my father."

"But I, I… he … h-how did you get here?" Sora stuttered.

"Not important. What about you?" Rufaus's voice was soaked with hurt. "More importantly, why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell what?"

"That you know Dad?" His black eyes glistened; was it a trick of the light? "You knew Dad all this time and you never told me?"

"Well, I … see ….um, he's not your dad?"

"Oh? And I suppose you're not a good person at heart?" Rufaus accused. Sora flinched.

"He's right. I'm not your dad," said Jasper. Rufaus spun around in disbelief.

True enough, details were … off. Dad had grey-streaked blue hair, not grey bangs and blue hair, and the blue was the wrong shade. The face was slightly different too. So was the voice. But in everything else … it was his father. It had to be.

But more notable was his behavior. He was dead sure that Dad, never in his life, tried to kill anyone by strangulation. "Is Sora…?"

"I'm not your dad _yet_," corrected the man, getting up awkwardly. "I'm … his Nobody."

So, it took the sight of Rufaus himself to drive the point home. When he saw the boy, he was shocked (so to speak) at his own reaction. No emotions passed through him; instead, memories connected to emotions passed through his mind. Close but no goal …

_Rufaus, two years old, speaking his first word: "Daddy."_

_Rufaus, four years old, listening to him tell a story: "They live happily ever after, right?"_

_Rufaus, ten years old, making a list for December: "We need a new pole for Festivus."_

Rufaus, fifteen years old, wondering about Nobodies: "What is a Nobody?"

"The leftover body and soul after the heart is taken away," Jasper explained, green eyes focusing solely on his son as the rest of his world faded. "See … some Heartless victims luck out. They don't vanish … but are reduced to this."

"Uh-huh." Rufaus didn't fully understand. "But you exist; I see you. What did you mean when you wrote you can't see me?"

"In this form?" Jasper chuckled softly. "Without a heart? We would have a falling out and you would hate me."

Rufaus smiled. "Me, hate my own father? I don't care if you say you have 'emotional problems' from lack of a heart. You still have your body, you still have your soul, and you still have your mind and memories, so you must be -"

"Destroyed." Riku slashed Jasper in the back. He screamed. So did Rufaus.

Sora snapped out of his stupor. "Guys! No, wait-" he cried, but Donald was faster. "ANMESIA!" the duck cried before fainting again.

So much for Jasper having his memories … or mind and body, for that matter. If he regained human form because he remembered Rufaus, surely he would lose human form if he forgot Rufaus.

"Gotcha-" Riku said, or would have said, if it weren't for white kite-like tendrils wrapping around his throat.

Instinctively, Sora got out his Keyblade and dashed forward. Rufaus nearly fainted; "What the heck is that?" he shrieked. Was he shrieking at the strange giant key in Sora's hand, or the stranger white creature throttling Riku?

His best friend was dying! Sora had to hurry.

The Assassin moved to a road and dived under, slamming Riku against hard pavement. It never released its grip. Sora swung every which way, but no go; Assassin Nobodies were invulnerable when in swimming mode. Riku's face was starting to go blue …

"Stop it!"

Tendrils relaxed. Riku took in deep breaths; color returned to his face.

"Let him go!"

Tendrils released. Riku rolled over and panted like a beached fish.

Rufaus gingerly approached the creature, his two commands given. "Are you … what did … how could you?" he whimpered, eyes wide with shock and tears. "Choke him, I mean. Dad would never do such a thing … even if -"

"Sora!" cried Riku. "Fail Safe! Now!"

Before Rufaus could react – and before _he_ could react and override his own instinct - Sora dashed up the creature and did so. The Assassin Nobody exploded in a burst of white scraps; not even a hat remained.

The ensuing scream from Rufaus nearly deafened everyone else. Yes, even the monk.

* * *

"_Oh no," Kairi groaned when she saw the empty spot in the parking garage; the gummi ship was missing. So was Donald from the play island. Her worst fears were confirmed._

_She heard distant calls for Rufaus, across the garage. Apparently, Rufaus was missing; Thaddeus heard he went somewhere with a strange white-haired man …_

* * *

A most bizarre sight greeted Donald Duck when he woke up. 

Sora was just standing there, looking at the new guy, a stupefied look on his face. Riku was lying down on a concrete road like he was sunbathing. And the new guy was on his knees, staring at one spot on the grass, looking like … like … well, like he just saw his parents shot at point blank range.

Did the new spell work? Was the new guy even alive? Maybe he died on his knees with that horror-struck look on his face ….

Slowly, methodically, Riku got up and approached the fellow. "He wasn't your dad, you know."

The new guy got up and snarled, "Shut the up, you _son of a &$_!"

Donald flinched. Was this new guy a Nobody too? He acted like one, switching from shock to rage so fast; Nobodies tend to flip-flop between faked emotions when dealing with people (Case in point: Xemnas) - ack, the new guy just tried to attack Riku! Therefore, he must be a Nobody! "I'VE GOT-"

A more bizarre sight occurred: Sora restrained him before he could cast Thundaga.

"No!" pleaded Sora. "Don't hurt him." _I've hurt him too much already. _The brunet approached the new guy, a remorseful look on his face. "Rufaus …. I'm sorry. Hate me, not Riku."

Rufaus did not take up his offer. He did not accept the apology or reject it. He stopped attempting to hit Riku (every fist was deflected expertly) and just stared at Sora, just stared at him, an inexplicable expression on his face. Then he asked, "Why?"

"Because he was a Nobody – … wait." Sora stopped and started over. "Because I had to. This was supposed to be a one-on-one-fight. We planned it so that … see, it's -"

"Confidential. We can't tell you," said Riku.

"Yeah … we really can't. I'm sorry," said Sora. _Just like Saturday. _"Again."

Rufaus looked at him with an enhanced version of that inexplicable expression. _Behind that cheerful face,_ he thought, _Sora sure does some nasty things_. Example: killing Dad. How could the same person give up so much … and then take away more?

"Take me back to Destiny Islands," he ordered.

"Huh?"

"Never mind," Rufaus muttered as he turned to back away. "I'll just find the robed guy who brought me here."

_Crypus Thorson!_ "Wait!" Sora reached out and grabbed Rufaus's arm. "No, wait. Um … Riku, where did you park the gummi ship?"

* * *

It was dark out when they entered Rufaus' apartment. 

Thaddeus was there. So was Kairi. So were two new persons: a well-dressed, elderly-looking society matron, and a gaunt, grey-haired man in fancy clothes. _His grandmother and other uncle_, realized Sora.

The woman got up, ran up to Rufaus as though to hug him, and … slapped him across the face instead. Sora flinched. Rufaus did not. "You … mongrel! Where have you been? We were worried sick!" the woman scolded. Rufaus did not respond. "We thought you were kidnapped or worse!"

"We heard you went away with a creepy old man," said the fancily-dressed man. "You were gone for three hours."

"Better if you were gone forever! Didn't your parents ever told you not to go with strangers?" yelled the old woman. "Didn't you … oh, never mind! Go to your room! Figures that Jasper was a bad parent as well as a bad son."

"Don't talk about Dad like that," muttered Rufaus.

The woman boxed him. "Don't talk back to your grandmother!"

"Hey lady, I don't appreciate you hurting my friend like that!" Sora burst out.

Everyone turned to look at the brown-haired newcomer; the spotlight was on him now. Sora fidgeted under its heat.

"Um … I mean it! He's just been through a lot," he finally mumbled.

"I'd say. Being lost for three hours can't be fun!" quipped Thaddeus.

"Where did you find him?" inquired Septimus.

Riku lied, "We found him wandering around the docks. He said he was lost."

"Heh, figures," said Thaddeus. Septimus likewise nodded. The old woman just shook her head.

"Can I go to my room now?" asked Rufaus.

"Fine, go to your room," spat his grandmother. "Go without supper! I want you to think about being more responsible and considerate towards your family!"

"You're not my family. Mom and Dad were," muttered Rufaus to himself.

Kairi watched him leave with worried violet eyes. "Such an irresponsible child. I should have thrown him out," the matron continued to rant before he was even out of hearing range. All three teens flinched.

"I agree. A pity his mother's family won't take him in," said Septimus. "Perhaps we should follow their example. There's a precedent…"

"No, he's still my grandson." The old lady sighed and went back to her chair. "It's our job to undo whatever screwed-up parenting Jasper and that … that wife of his bestowed on him."

"His wife?" asked Kairi. "Wait. Why doesn't his mother's family want him?"

Before Sora could explain about ghouls and foreigners, Thaddeus burst out chuckling. This embarrassing laughter continued for a quite. Relieved though he was at Rufaus' return, he expressed it quite inappropriately …

"No one wants him," said Septimus, "considering how his parents met." _We want him_, Sora silently fumed.

"Want to hear it?" inquired Thaddeus.

* * *

"So Uncle Thaddeus told you about how Dad met Mom, huh?" 

"Well … I … I left in the middle."

"Ah."

"Why are your grandma and uncle here?"

"They were supposed to come next week. But Saint Ivalice bumped up the interview date so they came to pick me up. Personally, so I can't protest."

The room was less … packed than usual. Where were the wall pictures, the books on shelves? What was with the suitcase in the middle of the room?

"Oh, the suitcase? I'm leaving next week," Rufaus answered.

"Where?"

"Saint Ivalice interviews each and every one of its applicants in person," Rufaus explained. "You know, to see if the applicant is a good fit for the school."

"Wait, you're leaving? So soon?"

"Yeah. Grandma insisted on the earliest interview date, which is Tuesday. Right now I wish my grandmother was dead." Rufaus inspected his suitcase's contents, satisfied. "I think I can get in, I really do. Wish me luck."

"Do you want to get in? I thought you hated the idea of going to boarding school! You said you … okay, why do you want to go now?" But she sensed the reason already.

"Isn't it obvious?" Rufaus shot a deadpan look at Kairi. "My story here is done. Fancy Fate dunked me here to learn about how my parents died and then _kills Dad all over again_ so I can accept my fate as one of the scarred people in that song about feeling love tonight!" His words were rapid, now. "Now that Fate is done with me, I can leave and resume my destiny of getting into an elite private college and making up for my father's sin for marrying across cultures!"

"I … see." Kairi stepped back toward the door. "Geez, don't snap at me."

"Sorry." Rufaus looked away. "Anyway, tell Fate's errand boy I don't want to see his ugly mug again, alright?"


	21. Intermission 2

_Author's Note: The following intermission can be skipped if you wish; I just wanted to go into background detail concerning the Reddison family. Enjoy, if you like._

"Gather around, kids and kiddies," said Thaddeus, settling into his chair like a he wasn't on a diet and was preparing to consume a ten-course meal. "We're gonna tell you the tale of how Jasper met Josephine."

Curious about Jasper's past, somewhat sad over his demise, Sora was all ears. "So, Josephine was Rufaus' mother, right?"

"Yep! 'Course, Josephine was how her name transliterates into -"

"Twenty years ago, fresh out of graduation," began Septimus, "Jasper went to a foreign country to participate in a fellowship. We thought it would aid him when he applied to graduate school."

"And show him the consequences of not landing a good career," said their mother. "A good career, as you know, requires a Masters or Ph.D in certain -"

"Excuse us, ma'am … what's your name?" asked Sora. Curiosity about Jasper Reddison extended to his mother. Rude question, he knew, but he had to ask.

"Noxanna Samueli."

_Samueli? What happened to Reddison?_ "But … um, your -"

"I retook my maiden name when I divorced," said Noxanna shortly.

"Oh."

"Since his college academic record was … unspectacular, we figured a fellowship and some years of experience abroad should compensate for it," continued Septimus. "There, he met a local girl named Josephine. They got close."

"They got married," spat Noxanna.

"Right." Septimus coughed awkwardly, to show his disapproval. "There was a horrid scandal, when the truth came out. What were they thinking?"

_About true love and starting a family?_ Kairi mentally suggested.

"Her family disowned her," approved Noxanna. "What a pity. She was supposedly a well-off, well-educated girl. Somewhat pretty, I suppose. She even had a fiancé!"

"I can't believe Jasper would … wow," breathed Sora. "I bet that other guy was heartbroken!"

"Not really. He haven't met her," clarified Noxanna.

"What?"

"It was an arranged marriage," elaborated Septimus, "as was the custom in that land."

"Arranged? Ew." Sora found the idea of arranged marriages distasteful.

"I'd say." Riku thought the same.

"That's just wrong." Kairi found the idea even more distasteful, being a girl herself.

"You shouldn't be prejudiced towards other cultures," Septimus reprimanded, glaring a vulture's glare on the three kids. "What seems distasteful to us is proper to them."

"I don't know. Like, wasn't there a campaign in that country against forced marriages and mistreatment against … uh, I misspoke. I'm sorry Mother," Thaddeus countered, or tried to counter, were not for Noxanna's withering glare. "Well, he was many times her age and … I heard he was very … not nice."

"When the fiancé's family tried to have him killed," said Noxanna, "we phoned him and urged him to do the right thing: leave her and leave the country."

"Leave her?" Sora exclaimed. "Why?"

He never got an answer, for Septimus continued, "Did he? No! He said he loved her and that he would put her above everyone else." He shook his head in disapproval and concluded, "They left the country together and got married in some godforsaken quickie chapel."

"Then the bottom came out!" interjected Thaddeus. "He called us and said he wasn't going to apply to grad school, that he was doing something else instead. Some newspaper syndicate picked up an idea he had for a strip and … woo." He closed his eyes. "We had such a row over it. It was insane, wasn't it mother?"

"After that, he hardly kept in contact with us for fifteen years," snorted Noxanna. _And no wonder_, thought Sora.

Thaddeus stretched in his seat. "Man, Jasper was so immature! He forsook his family and he forsook his future, for the sake of some girl. Can't believe he abandoned his plan to go to grad school."

_His family's plans for him_, realized Sora. Noxanna seemed to be the domineering type.

"He was supposed to something better," said Noxanna. "Not some … starving artist."

So now they knew. So now they knew why Rufaus' families didn't like him too much. Sora used to think Rufaus was being overdramatic and whiny when he complained about his grandmother. Not anymore.


	22. Chapter 20

A cool, lamppost-lighted night greeted the trio when they exited the apartment complex. Sora had plenty of time to reflect …

To Noxanna Samueli and her sons, the tale of Jasper and Josephine was a tragedy, a tale of woe, derailed futures, shame, and the dangers of consorting with exotic women.

But Sora heard another side. To him, it was a romance, a tale about star-crossed lovers standing up to rigid families and tradition, overcoming adversity, and forging a destiny together. They would have lived happily ever after … were not for the Heartless.

No…were not for him. "I messed everything up," he moaned, his feet dragging.

"What are you talking about?" Riku asked, surprised. Technically, it was _he _who messed everything up. He was not ashamed; he would accept whatever punishment comes when he accompanied Donald to Disney Castle tomorrow, to report his deed. Not the first time he did something … iffy … for those he loved. Not even the second. Perhaps that was just his nature, Riku mused. At least this time it did not involve dark powers.

"I messed everything up," Sora insisted, worrying him.

"Sora, are you okay?" Kairi asked, worried. She noted his eyes, dim like a mannequin's; was her eyes like that when he found her at Hallow Bastion, so long ago? That lost look had hung around him since they left the Reddison residence.

"Yeah … it's just that … I feel terrible."

"For what?" She already knew what. Or rather, who: "Rufaus?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah.

_He remembered how Rufaus acted on the way home. He expected severe questions, or grave insults. He expected glares that could give explosive heart attacks, if looks could kill. He did not expect silence. _

_Rufaus said not one word on the ride home. Nor did he even look at anymore; he didn't even look out the window. That silence was worse than the foulest curse word he knew…_

"He … we never got to say goodbye. What did he say to you in his room, Kairi?"

Kairi skipped the part about errand boys and ugly mugs and said, "'_I wish my grandmother was dead_.'" Sora did not need to hear further. "We won't be seeing him again," she added. "He says he's going to boarding school."

"He's moving?" Sora's eyes transformed from dull spots to blazing alarms. "_Why?_"

"His family wants him to. He wants to."

_She remembered how Rufaus acted on the way home. As he sat between her and Donald, for all intents and purposes, he seemed like a lifeless puppet. Now that his father was no longer around to save him from his grandmother, Rufaus would just have to … accept the situation. _

_He was preparing to accept his fate: private school, private school, grad school._

"But I thought … I thought he liked it here!" Sora was aghast, as stiff as a sentry noticing an enemy. Rufaus _did_ like it here, the brunet realized. Not anymore. "It's because of me. I messed everything up."

"No," Riku demurred. "Sora, listen. I know you feel sorry for him, but there's nothing you can do. What goes on within the Reddison family doesn't involve us."

"Why not?" Sora cast off depression to put on indignation. How could Riku say such a thing? He involved himself with Ariel's and Simba's family problems; why not Rufaus'?

Riku welcomed the challenge: "Because it doesn't involve Heartless or Nobodies."

Sora put back on his mental cloak of depression. Riku was right; he was the Keyblade Master, not Rufaus' fairy godmother … but he ought not to be Rufaus' bane, either.

"Yes it did! His dad was a Nobody," Sora countered. "Jasper -"

"- harassed you in your dreams, at Disney Castle, and even here, at Destiny Islands. He harassed you so much you had to challenge him to a duel. A duel! It was -"

**Now** he was ashamed. _It was going just fine. Sora was winning! Guess I was wrong to worry and overact. Things turned vicious only because Donald and I came._ "Ruined. _I_ messed up, Sora. Not you. I'm sorry."

Kairi glared violet half-moons at her friend. "About time you said that," she whispered.

"No, _I _messed up … when I let you and Donald fight with me," said Sora. Everything that went wrong today went back to him raising his Keyblade, that he was sure. Jasper going mad, Jasper dying, Rufaus zombie-like on the grass …

"How'd it go?"

Donald Duck met them at the bus stop. He was busy parking the gummi ship while they visited the Reddisons. The small feathered magican looked up with wary eye; was something amiss? For a guy who just vanquished the last remnant of Organization XIII, Sora seemed unhappy.

"Fine," said Riku. "Everything went fine."

Ignoring Riku, Donald asked, "Sora, is everything okay?"

_Yes,_ he ought to say; _No,_ he wanted to say. "I don't know," he finally said.

"Sora's sad because we interfered with the duel," Riku explained. True enough, but not the whole truth; he left out the visit to the Reddison place. That matron was frightening, but out of their hands. "Hey … was it true? That you guys wrote a contract?"

Sora got out and presented his pink sheet for all to see.

At it, Donald quaked and quacked out a string of incoherent sounds. The brunette caught hints of an apology within them: "I didn't know, I didn't know!" He didn't know Jasper took the duel that seriously! He thought the man would cheat, like … well, like any other Nobody! Like Luxord! Remember Luxord?

Riku took one look and shame whacked him upside the head again. Kairi took one look and noticed only the worlds "Dark City Government" in bold near the top.

"That's okay, Donald. None of us really knew Jasper Reddison … or the Nobodies," said Sora. He wanted to say more, but an approaching bus paused his thoughts.

* * *

Sora opened his front door. _So … it's finally over, isn't it?_

Jasper was dead and would bother him no more; Rufaus was going away and would cross paths with him no more. It was as though the entire episode never occurred.

_Not really. _

There was still Jasper's employer, Crypus Thorson. No doubt, man would want an explanation … or his head. Don't forget DarkGov.

_But we would have heard of that Government eventually. So… does that count? _

Who cares? Crypus could wait. Right now, Sora cared nothing for non-Organization Nobodies or non-Organization Nobody organizations. All he thought about was a blue-haired friend and classmate … well, ex-classmate, and definitely ex-friend.

_I messed everything up. _

_Rufaus was so happy when he saw his father … I've never seen him smile like that. Well, he did in that picture. But Jasper! I've never seen a Nobody so … so happy-looking. _

Even Axel didn't come close. Jasper seemed so happy, like he really wanted to feel those emotions he ought to feel. He was so happy, he exposed himself to Riku and Donald.

On the bus, Sora got dissension from them for expressing this opinion, he remembered:

"_If only Jasper hadn't … if only there was a way to restore his heart -"_

"_You had to fight him! There was nothing you could do!" protested Donald. "Not for him, not for Nobodies! King Mickey or Yen Sid would have told us if there was a way!" _

"_There was no hope for them," said Riku quietly. "That's why you had to destroy them."_

Perhaps. At any rate, he ought to rest. His adventure wasn't over, since he still had the Keyblade. Likely it centered around DarkGov. This month was just a strange prelude, like Castle Oblivion … not that he wanted to forget what happened this month …

"_Remember, Sora," Riku reminded him. "It was either you or him. And it can't be you, because the worlds still need you. The Keyblade's not done with you. How can you finish its mission if you're gone?"_

"_Maleficent's still out there," Donald quietly gulped. _

Riku and Donald planned to go to Disney Castle tomorrow, to report to King Mickey and convene with the fairies … and confess what they did. Kairi planned to accompany them; she said something about searching the Royal Library.

As for Sora, he was going to rest all day tomorrow; he deserved it, they said.

Tired but not sleepy, Sora decided to watch some television first. He trudged to the living room, sat on the couch, turned on the telly, and flipped through some channels: cartoon, game show, nature documentary, music video …

Then stopped in alarm.

"_But why did you retire from the music industry?" asked the interviewer._

"_My brother ... not here anywhere, y'know? Lost the urge to play." answered Merkel lamely. He seemed half-dead. Or high. "Band was his idea."_

"_But what happened to your dreams of hitting it big?"_

"_Um ... kinda lost interest in it." Merkel ran his hand through his short blond hair. "Doesn't feel right to not have my brother in it._ The band, it was his pride and joy."

"That's no surprise," said the interviewer. "Wow … he was a great guy, huh?"

"Right!" Merkel Milton smiled shyly towards the camera. "He was so talented. He was a great computer programmer, did you know that? No one but my family knows that. He was a great swimmer too. He loved water."

"Interesting!"

"Yeah, water and music were his life. This one time he tried to pull this stunt, he tried to surf and play his sitar at the same time." Invigorated by mention of his brother, Merkel lost his prior dull look. "He failed, of course. He laughed, we all laughed, it was great. I wish I had photos."

"Myde was quite a character, huh?"

"Oh yeah! But most of all," said Merkel, "he had a big heart. There was no one, and do I mean no one, who was a better friend. I mean it! He helped our band though a lot of problems when Merkel and Myde was starting out."

"It's so tragic that he disappeared. Did you ever found out what -?"

"No. Not ever. It sucked." Merkel regained his former depression. "We never found out. How could something so...so heartless happen? Myde was the best of us."

"Indeed. He was your lead singer, am I right? And he played the sitar."

Merkel started to answer, but Sora shut off the TV, unnerved the mixing of dream and reality. He then tried to tug out his brown hair. A sinking feeling swallowed him; his heart was grieving as though he didn't deserve it in his chest. Maybe he didn't.

Merkel was right; how could he do something so heartless?

How could he destroy Myde Milton? How could he destroy Jasper Reddison?

_I'm so sorry, Rufaus. Why didn't I tell you about the Nobodies before? Why didn't I tell you about your dad? Even if it didn't change a thing, at least you would have had closure sooner and better … no, that's not enough. I'm sorry, Rufaus, Merkel, Jasper, Myde, Arleen, Rould, everyone … sorry for everything … I can't even make it up to you … _

Too tired to move to bed, the boy lay down on the couch. It felt like the end of the world. It was the end of Rufaus' world; tomorrow he leaves it forever and goes to boarding school purgatory. What of his? He closed his blue eyes …

Night zipped by like a fly. He opened his blue eyes, and it was day already.

So, he spent the entire night on the couch. The living room was clothed in the twilight of sunrise. Speaking of clothes, his were wrinkled. The boy got up and walked to the bedroom for a much-needed change.

None of the clothes he found suited him today. They were … well, he just wasn't in the mood to wear them right now. Nothing caught his fancy - hello, what's this under the bed?

* * *

"There you are!" 

She had a feeling he was there. She was glad she decided to check Destiny Island's libraries before leaving for Disney Castle. This time, she didn't need to see out of the corner of her eye; the white-haired man was nowhere to be found…but he brought his Nobodies with him.

Riku and Donald appeared behind her, and gaped.

They have not seen these Nobodies before. Floating wraithlike along shelves, skullcap-like hats on their heads, thin spidery hands peeking out from drape-like robes, they looked utterly unfamiliar. Yet, the Nobody emblem covered their faces. Most bizarre were the two floating books that accompanied each Nobody. The ignored the trio creeping inside and towards the far end.

"They don't fight?" pondered Donald quietly then they walked a few steps by one and weren't attacked.

"Lucky us," murmured Riku. "They leave us alone, we leave them alone. Where's the guy?"

"Invisible," whispered Kairi before shouting, "I know you're in here! Show yourself!"

No response. Except for the Nobodies, Gladstone library was empty. Where were the patrons? Where was the librarian? Killed or worse, Donald supposed. Why didn't the Nobodies kill them as well – hello! "Ooooh!" Look at that! A cool shiny grey gem at the far table!

Quick as a mallard, the duck dashed to it and picked it up – and had it snatched out of his paw by an invisible hand that was no longer invisible. "Wawk!" Donald ran back.

"They're called Sages," explained the white-haired man as he reattached his brooch onto his grey robes. "Don't mind them, they're noncombative." He sat back down at his table, going over some paperwork. A wrinkled yellow sheet was among his papers.

"You're … you're Jasper's employer," breathed Kairi.

"You're part of the Government!" quacked Donald.

"You're a Nobody," said Riku. He stepped in front of his two friends, intent on protecting them.

Unfazed, the Nobody looked up and scanned them with sleepy red eyes. He said, "You're Namine's Other, you're DiZ's dog, and you probably go well with teriyaki sauce."

Donald sputtered incoherently, enraged by his suggestion. Riku growled. Kairi blinked.

"The name by which I call myself," continued the man, "is Dr. Crypus Thorson. I was the one who formulated the contract between Jasper and Sora. Your accusations are correct: I am Jasper's employer, I am part of Dark City Government, and I am a Nobody."

"Duh. What do you want?" Riku barked, stepping forward.

"I want you and the duck to hang by your entrails in public as a warning to future would-be interferers of duels. I'm just kidding." Oh really? Crypus sounded pretty serious.

"No, really."

"I seek someone."

"Who, Jasper?" Riku smirked. "Sorry, but he's -"

"No," said Roxas. "He's looking for me."

Riku spun around, nearly breaking his neck. No, his eyes weren't deceiving him; Roxas really did enter the library. Garbed in black, a sullen stare on his face, it was unmistakable which version he was. Donald quacked in fright. Kairi gasped. Riku froze, like the blood in his veins.

Crypus got up and bowed. "The Key of Destiny! I was not expecting you."

"Dr. Thorson … what do you want?"

"We have matters to discuss."

"What, about Organization XIII? I left the Organization -"

"No, wait!" Riku positioned him between the grey-robed Nobody and the new black-cloaked Nobody. "How … how did you get here? _Sora _won the duel! He -"

"What are you going to do about it?" Roxas snapped. "Fight me in front of Memory's Skyscraper again?" Riku backed away as Roxas moved towards the table, intending to take a seat; so, he never forgave him.

Now it was Donald's turn. "No, wait!" the Duck begged, jumping in front of the Nobody. "Don't, Sora! He wants revenge!"

"No I don't!" Crypus snapped, suddenly incensed. "What do I look like, some _king_ who wants his way always and thinks only of himself and building great golden palaces?"

Donald Duck, appalled by Crypus' hated of kings, let himself be pushed aside as Roxas came to the table and pulled out a chair. Crypus sat back down again, calm.

All this time, Kairi did not move. It was never about revenge, she realized; Goofy said so. _Isn't revenge a feeling?_ Nobodies lack feelings. If DarkGov didn't want Roxas to inflict revenge on him, what do they want? She waited for the answer to come from Dr. Crypus Thorson.

Eyeing the two teens and duck carefully, Crypus began, "Ex-member or not, the fallout of recent events falls squarely on you. They say you betrayed the Organization, _traitor_."

"No, Xemnas was the traitor," said Roxas. "That's why I left."

This answer Crypus did not expect. "Verily?"

"Xemnas was manipulating the Organization for his own purposes," Roxas explained matter-of-factly. "He planned to seize Kingdom Hearts for himself. But we digress."

"Kingdom Hearts …" Crypus murmured; his pale face softened, lulled by enchanted words. Then it was hard again. "Organization XIII had claim over it, correct? Its destruction has been dire on the city. Countless Heartless roam the streets -"

"I see what you're hinting at." Roxas sounded annoyed. "I'll see to it."

"See to the witch as well." Obviously, Crypus meant Maleficient. "She's a minor annoyance compared to the Heartless, but one that falls upon you, nonetheless."

Roxas snorted. True enough: Sora never went after Maleficent in the end, did he? "Is that why you wanted me? To complain about problems your group can't handle?"

"To complain about problems _your _group started," corrected Crypus tersely. "Maleficent claimed the Castle that Never Was as her own. So indirectly … do you mind?" The Government member cast a sour look at trio. "We're conversing privately here!"

"Hold on," said Roxas, waving a hand. Lo! Samurai Nobodies appeared out of nowhere! Grabbing the three forcibly, they dragged Riku, Kairi, and Donald (he was especially troublesome) out, tossed them on the pavement, then immediately ran back in.

Donald ran after them – only to run beak-first into a clear pink barrier. "OW!"

From outside, they saw Sages Nobodies shutting windows and closing binds. The library was off-limits now. "Guess they don't want us eavesdropping on them," Kairi said.

That didn't prevent Donald and Riku from trying. No avail.

* * *

"Sora? Sora, are you inside? I'm really sorry for what I said to Riku. Sora?" 

The door refused to respond to his knocks. Rufaus lingered hesitantly. Another few minutes, and he'd have no choice but to leave. Grandma hated being late at the airport.

Perhaps Sora was on the other side of the bedroom, but refused to open to him.

"Sora …" Rufaus began. "Listen, I … I forgive you. You were right, that man wasn't my father. He looked nothing like him. Maybe he was my father once, but … you did what you had to do. Y-your destiny, right?"

_Destiny vampirizes us, it weighs us down, it is like a ball and chain locked to our ankles. _Rufaus rested his head on the door.

"Sora? Are we still friends? Pen pals?"

To his surprise, the door swerved open. Surprise! Sora was never in his bedroom in the first place. Strange; his mother said she thought he was sleeping in his bedroom. Where could he be?

* * *

"Charge!" Third time was the charm! Donald barged into the library – and jumped back in surprise. Crypus and Roxas were gone. Gone by dark corridors, he supposed. 

In their place milled the missing library patrons and librarian, going about their business. A young, portly but gentle woman – a library page, he supposed - approached him. "Hello, may I help you?"

"Um, no …" the duck squawked doubtfully. Then he noted the dazed stares of several patrons. The page herself looked like she just woke up. "You look tired."

"I know. Don't tell my boss, but I think I fell asleep on the job a while ago." The page giggled and went back to shelving books. "Hm? That's weird." Someone did that job for her already.

Apparently, they all fell asleep – from magic, definitely - then were secreted somewhere while Crypus waited. Then they were put back to their former positions and magically awakened. At least, that was the theory Donald related to Riku and Kairi after he went back outside.

"That doesn't sound like the Organization, does it?" the magician concluded. From his experience, Organization XIII would just sic a bunch of Heartless on them and steal their hearts. Perhaps that was Dark City Government style. They knew so little of Nobodies …

Riku had a steely look in his eyes. "We have to leave for Disney Castle at once."

"Right!" The duck agreed with one nod. "My ship or yours?"

Kairi couldn't help but take one last look as they ran off. Crypus must have chosen it because he expected Jasper…no, that couldn't be it. Crypus knew Riku and Donald interfered with the duel; surely he knew Jasper died as well? If he was not waiting for Jasper, then maybe Roxas? But he said he wasn't expecting Roxas.

Then who...?

Rufaus was near the top of the stairs when he heard a high-pitched scream. His blood chilled to unhealthy temperatures. _Was that Grandma?_

Gasping and dashing to the front door, he fumbled with his house key; it slipped through his fingers and clattered on the floor. Cursing, he bent down to pick it up – but then the door opened on its own, and Rufaus was greeted with a gripping sight.

The place was several degrees colder than when he left it. The people … were worse off.

Septimus breathed in ragged gasps as he sprawled on the living room floor, face down, his suit crisscrossed with cuts. Thaddeus was nowhere to be seen, but his glasses lay, shattered, near Septimus. Where was Grandma?

A second scream answered that question, somewhat. Bathroom? Master bedroom?

Septimus convulsed and stopped breathing. His hand twitched, and he vanished … but not before a pink crystal-like object floated out of him like a fairy tale. Rufaus couldn't believe it.

_What the he … is that a __**heart?!**_

Then the pink crystal turned into a black, crawling creature whose stink summoned year-old memories. _Stench, cold, and claw marks._ Rufaus yelped and slammed the door. A third scream made him open the door again.

The shadow-like … thing was gone. _It had gone after Grandma!_

Grabbing a knife from a kitchen drawer on impulse, Rufaus ran into the master bedroom and confirmed his fears. There stood his grandma on top of a tall dresser, awkwardly wielding a broom, fear digging deep pits into her faces. Three black buggers crowded below her, hungry for her heart. Her eyes locked with his.

"HELP ME!" she screamed.

Rufaus dove after the nearest bugger and stabbed it in the back, but fazed it not at all. Worse, he left himself open to the other two, and was knocked down immediately. He yelled as his ex-uncles tore into him with claws, with teeth, with supernatural cold …

His grandmother leapt off the dresser like a deer and tore out of the bedroom. Leaving him behind.

"Not him. Her."

Instantly, the three creatures leapt off his chest and bounded after the woman like wolves. Rufaus was too stunned at this new turn of events to think about his ruined clothes or living status. _Who said that?_

He ran back into the living room just in time to witness his grandmother getting her (spiteful) heart torn out by the monsters. Wilting, she sank down to the floor … and rose back up as one of them. They now turned their greedy yellow eyes on Rufaus.

"Oh crap," he muttered. _Heartless._

"Not really," said the voice from before.

_Woosh … slice, slice, slice, slice_, and the four were gone, replaced with pink hearts that flew up the air before blinking out. Three white boxy creatures and a stranger in a black cloak took their place.

Rufaus took one look at the stranger and screamed, "What the friggin f$&?"

It was Sora. At the same time, it was not Sora. Sora did not have semi-spiked blonde hair, nor did he ever dressed in the black raincoat Dad gave him. Most of all, Sora did not have a dead look in his eyes or...or … (Are those Keyblades?) or -

"No, you're not Sora …" Rufaus stammered, when realization hit him: "_Roxas?_"

A cool smile crawled up Roxas' cold face. "So … you're Rufaus Reddison."

Rufaus had no time for pleasantries, so he yelled, "Who the hell are you? Why do you look like Sora? Why did the Heartless kill my grandma?"

Roxas gave Rufaus a curious twitch of his eyebrow. "You said you wanted her dead."

Rufaus balked. _The Heartless, he summoned them_, he realized. Was the guy blaming … how did he know … what was going on? "They were just words!" he cried. "I didn't mean any of it!"

"Yes you did," corrected Roxas. "You meant them in your heart."

Rufaus could not object. Yes, he could never love his grandmother; he tried. Noxanna Samueli hated her youngest son and took out her hatred on Jasper's only child, his likeness. Rufaus once wondered if Septimus' workaholism and Thaddeus' obesity were indirectly due to child abuse. The nicest thing she ever did was shoving him into Uncle Thaddeus' custody. Nonetheless …

"Yeah, but … no one deserves to die like this. Not even someone like Grandma!" Rufaus wondered if he was lying. "I mean … what about my uncles?"

Roxas gave the gym a dismissive glance so that Rufaus could not see his eyes. "They tried to defend her and got in the way."

Rufaus blanched and stepped back. The world spun around him, the laws of reality dissolving. The Sora-like person before him … he … he was not human! No human could be so callous of life, so dismissive of atrocities … so _lacking a heart!_

"You … you're not a person … you … you lack empathy … how could you… _how_?!"

"The Heartless ally with whoever's the strongest," explained the black-cloaked mockery of Sora. "And I am currently the strongest person in the building."

Factoids from a letter swam in his mind, and Rufaus gained a new degree of horror in his eyes. "You're a Nobody, aren't you?" He tensed. "You're Sora's Nobody."

"Yes."

"Why did you kill my grandmother? You never knew her."

"No, but I know you. I've always considered you a good friend. Consider it a token of our friendship." Roxa clapped Rufaus on the shoulder, a soft smirk on his face.

Rufaus jerked back, horrified. "Don't touch me!"

"Suit yourself." Shrugging, Roxas created a swirling black oval and exited the place, his Samurai Nobodies marching after him. Rufaus was the only person in the room now. Rufaus was the only living member of his family now.

Numb, his outrage and horror having departed with Roxas, Rufaus sat down on the nearest chair. He didn't know who upset him more: Roxas, Sora, or himself. He certainly didn't know what to do …


	23. Chapter 21

…. Yes, he did. He remembered now.

That strange car … he recognized it now. While out on errands, he had often noticed it in the parking garage, conspicuous despite its out-of-the-way spot (its owner was ashamed, he thought). Who could ignore a vehicle that seemed to be made of red gelatinous blocks? Who could ignore a vehicle that seemed more spaceship than car?

Of course, it really was a spaceship, not a car.

He remembered the spaceship now, remembered that he rode back to Destiny Islands in it last night with his friend, but more importantly … he remembered the exact parking spot. What did Sora call it? _The Gumi_?

Names were not important now; time was. Kairi and Riku most likely know of Sora and Roxas. Likely, they will seek help or information. Via spaceship.

If not …. well, he needed to do _something_, lest he go crazy.

Quick as rush hour, He bolted out the front door and never looked back. He hoped to be lucky as he raced down the stairs and out the apartment complex. Luck was with him. _The Gumi_ was still parked in the same spot.

Now what?

He wanted a confrontation; he wanted reconciliation; he wanted information. He wanted all three and neither at the same time. Decision could wait; he needed to hide as he wait. He noted the position of The Gumi relative to its nearest exit, and hid its side opposite the exit.

He did not had to wait long. Two voices soon came into the lighted gloom. He knew those voices, masculine and feminine, both young …

"Man, can't believe Donald demanded that I help load his stuff on his car first."

"I know. He had a lot of stuff. I hope we didn't miss anything."

"We can get it back later. Now, to Disney Castle."

Disney Castle? He knew of no place in the world, ancient or modern, that went by that name. He'd puzzle that out later. He crouched down even lower, but not too low. He had to be able to move quickly, to open a door and close it behind him quickly ... and silently.

He remembered now: _The Gumi_'s locks were activated by remote control. Specifically, the remote in one of their hands. **Click click!**

Quick as instinct, Rufaus opened the back door and snuck in; neither person noticed, so absorbed in their conversation. He remained crouched in the back, unseen, as they boarded their ship. Then instinct left and he realized the bind he put himself into, as the engine started and they moved forward …

_Don't panic._ If caught, he could pretend it was his plan to confront them all long, in the car. If not … well, better wait where this ship takes them first.

It took them to outer space. Outer space!

His head spun with wonder and shock. So, his memory wasn't spotty; there was no place in the world, ancient or modern, named Disney Castle. It was a place on _another_ world. That letter was right about other worlds. He knew it, but only on a shallow level before, in his mind. Not in his heart.

Kingdom Hearts. Heartless. _Hearts are important._

So bothered by indecision (and being on an alien world), he remained on _The Gumi_ even after it landed in some underground cavern and his classmates got out. Now what? What were his plans after the ship landed?He put plan-making off only to have it bite him back. Why did he leap (into the ship) before he looked? He had to do something...

Doing something was what distracted him from grief, last year. Even better if it could reverse his grief, via finding his parent's whereabouts, or final resting places.

He could not remember when he finally got out to explore the corridors In retrospect, he probably sought out the guards on purpose; he couldn't even remember what he said to draw their attention …

* * *

_**The Legend of Koren:**_

_Koren lived in the enchanted kingdom of Altena, whose magic kept it warm in its artic climate. Koren greatly wanted to learn magic, but had no spark of talent in him. So the evil Dragon Emperor came to him and promised him great power in exchange for his service - and a part of his soul. _

_Koren swore so, and turned evil. _

_Some said his eyes turned red to signify his new alignment. Others said he could cast Ancient, the strongest black magic spell, with the ease it takes to cast Cure. All agreed: Koren was as powerful as he was heartless._

_Allies Forcena and Jad barely withstood the invasion of the Dragon Emperor's minions, led by his lieutenant Koren. Altena itself fell with Koren turned against his former countrymen and kidnapped the queen. A war ensued. _

_Luckily, good won out in the end, and the Dragon Emperor was slain. Three heroes, wielding a legendary weapon, defeated Koren in battle. At death, he repented and begged for forgiveness. Here are his dying words: _

"_A piece of my soul. Just a piece! How could I miss it? But look how I am, without that peace … goodbye, cruel world." _

_Then he cast a suicidal spell and vanished._

* * *

King Mickey wasn't too happy when Riku and Donald related what happened on Friday and Saturday, as well as their participation in the duel. He was not too angry either, to Donald's surprise. 

Rather, he was sad. "Riku … I warned you about this," Mickey Mouse lamented. "Why didn't you listen?"

"I know. I have no excuse, I see that. I'm … I was scared. I was so scared that Jasper would cheat, I thought if we cheated back … then things would level out." But things didn't go level, did they? They went catastrophic. Riku bowed his head.

He knew why Mickey was sad; he broke the mouse's trust. "I'm sorry," the silver-haired teen muttered for the hundredth time. "Forgive me."

"Forgive me too, Your Majesty," piped up Donald. "Um, Sora never got the hang of True Form or Dispel." He wondered why he said that. It was true, but was it relevant?

Kairi, meanwhile, thought back to Gladstone Library and what ensued thereafter. _Sora_, she vowed, _come back_. _We miss you. Both of us: me and Naminé_.

Having heard these things, King Mickey slouched in his seat, deep in thought, debating various points with himself, as everyone else tensely waited. A wrinkled pink sheet he clutched in his hand. "Hmmmm …." he pondered aloud.

Nearby, Queen Minnie, Lady Daisy, and Captain Goofy regarded Court Wizard Donald with pity. Minnie and Goofy, at least: Daisy had more of a "You lousy oaf! I can't believe you would do such a thing!" expression on her face.

"Well…" King Mickey finally spoke. "You don't suppose how the duel turned out is related to how Roxas turned up, huh?"

Could be! Everyone perked up, eager to heed the king. "You mean…you have an idea on what made Sora turn into Roxas?" inquired Goofy.

"Only a theory," corrected the regal mouse. "How was Sora to lose his heart? Was his condition magically bound to the outcome of the duel?" This contract stated he had to win the duel, alone. "He didn't really win because Riku and Donald came into it."

"A pyrrhic victory," Riku murmured to himself. That sounded plausible. Perhaps that was why Sora was sad last night; he knew he wasn't going be himself much longer, but didn't tell for fear of hurting his well-intentioned friends. Could that be it?

"Sora didn't really win, but he didn't lose either," Kairi countered. "Why fall to some magical binding condition when bullets are easier?" She knew what those shots did to those poor brooms.

"Huh, oh yeah. There goes my theory." The king shrugged and looked at the sheet again.

Goofy suggested, "You also said that Dr. Thorson guy didn't expect Roxas to come back. He expected Sora to stay Sora, like we did."

Donald was dismayed by his pal's suggestion; he wanted to believe the king's theory. "Then what happened? Did Sora turned into Roxas on his own?

"Oh! Think back to the first time Sora lost his heart!" spoke up Kairi. Everyone directed eyes on her, surprised she would support such Donald's halfhearted, maverick theory.

"He used the Dark Keyblade on himself," King Mickey said eventually. "Willingly."

"Yeah, but … he didn't have the Dark Keyblade this time," countered Lady Daisy.

"No need for Keyblades; no need for Heartless either. There are other ways," came a new voice. Everyone turned around in shock.

King Mickey nearly fell off his throne. Goofy yelped a bit before he remembered that Jasper was taller and had green eyes, and dressed in different colors. Donald yelled, having saw the guy before.

How in Kingdom Hearts did Rufaus Jay Reddison get into Disney Castle?

* * *

**_The Boy and the Silver Apples:_**

_A little boy snuck into an enchanted garden to steal fruit from its central tree. It was known to have special properties, such as restoring those near death back to health. See, the boy's own mother, a kind and wonderful woman, was dying from illness._

_A bird perched on the tree watched him pluck one silver fruit (it looked like apples) from the tree. It must have been magical, for it opened its beak and warned against using the fruit without permission. The boy would regret it, it warned. The tree's owners enchanted it so that the fruit worked properly only for them and those they gave permission to pluck a fruit._

"_You mean it won't work?"_

"_It works – it **must** work – but it never works happily for those who pluck it of their own will," the bird warned. Without permission, that is._

"_Then it will work!" _

_How could his mother recovering – whatever side effects - not be happy? The boy took his silver prize back home, and fed it to his mother. It worked; his mother grew healthy again, as though the illness never touched her, except that …. _

_A change had come over her._

_Gone were her kindness and sense of humor; nothing made her serene now. Gone were her passions: gardening, cooking, family and friends; nothing stirred her spirit now. She became cold, then unfeeling towards everyone. _

_The illness spared her life, but robbed her of her emotions, it seemed. _

_Despairing of ever experiencing joy or enjoying life, she resolved to let no one around her do the same. She was now cruel and snappish. She taunted strangers, scolded her husband, and hit her son. She became most difficult to live with. So dismayed was her husband that he got a divorce._

_The little boy despaired. What had he done? This wasn't supposed to happen! In place of a kind woman was an empty shell, malice filled where her heart used to be._

_Why didn't he heed the bird? At any rate, his mother was too much. One night he ran away. He was never found. Was he killed by brigands? His last words were, "It was better for her to have died in that illness." _

_Moral of this fable: **don't steal**._

* * *

At least he was being escorted into the audience chamber by Max, a prisoner. 

In retrospect, seeking out guards was a bad idea. Rufaus wondered if his stunt with _The Gumi _was a bad idea from the start. _Idiot, it's called Disney **Castle**! It'sa bloody monarchy! Divine right of kings, absolute rule, the works! The king's going to throw you in the dungeon for appearing in court unbidden. And being lowly-born and stuff. _

One look at the king and those fears turned into doubts. This ruler looked the reverse of every cold regal stereotype he imagined: small, open-hearted, funny-looking; mouse-like, even. Then again, his month at Destiny Islands was stranger than the strangest fiction he ever read.

The king also had a kind face that spoke of just rule and fair treatment.

_Provided I don't act like an idiot…how do I address him?_ Different monarchies had different addresses, and using the wrong one can mean offense: Your Grace, Your Highness, Your Majesty, First among Equals –

Riku came over and gave him a stern look, like Rufaus was guilty of some sin. "What are you doing here?"

The guard who held him answered for him. "He said he had to see you, Your Majesty," said the junior version of the guard Rufaus saw next to the king. "He surrendered at once. He's unarmed."

"Ha, ha, you must be connected to Riku and Kairi! You appeared right after they did. Timing can't be more perfect!" the king greeted in a jovial voice. "Sora told me about you!"

Distracted from Riku by his jolliness, Rufaus could not answer. He must have mentally froze from strangeness overload, for soon the queen kindly spoke up: "Young man, what is your name?"

_What are yours?_ Instead he offered, "Rufaus J. Reddison…Your Majesty." For extra effect, he kneeled.

She heard his silent question. "This is King Mickey, and I am Queen Minnie. Here are Lady Daisy, Court Wizard Donald, and Captain Goofy." She smiled kindly, but it was sad smile. "You look very much like your father, Rufaus."

"Thank you," Rufuas respectfully (and sincerely) replied ... then realized what she meant. He nearly fell down in shock. Instead, he jumped up and inquired, "You knew my father?"

"Not really … it was a guy who looked just like him," confessed the king. "He, um ... kinda ruined a banquet some weeks back."

"Yeah, he was tryin' to kill the king!" exclaimed the duck-wizard. "Sora. Too!"

"No, he was only tryin' to kill Sora," reminded his lanky friend in plate-mail.

The queen shot both of them a stern look. "Donald, Goofy, quiet. Rufaus, can you tell us how you came here?" She smiled again, one not so sad.

* * *

**_The Legend of the Corpse Queen:_**

_The Queen was weak of body, unable to bear any children after her first. When her only child died, she died herself. She and the King reigned for another twenty years, so it seemed. In actually, he reigned and kept her living corpse at his side. The Corpse Queen, some called her (secretly, of course)._

_Physically, she was still there. But she was gone. It seemed that most of her soul fled after her child's, leaving behind a tiny spark just enough to animate it. Barely. The court noted her dull demeanor and stiff movements. She must be dead, they said: she was dead inside, a spiritless shell of flesh. _

_Only her husband did not notice. Nothing like true love to deny the truth._

_The Corpse Queen died for real when her King died, in a battle far away. One minute, she was chatting amiably with guests. The next, she had collapsed on the floor like the corpse she was. Twenty years of rot caught up with her in an instant and she turned into white dust … _

_Histor__ically, the Corpse Queen was Queen Rhys XIV, last of her dynasty. She used to bleach her hair regularly in memory of her only child, who died in infancy. _

_Rumors of her death and decay were exaggerated by legend … so historians claim._

* * *

He began is tale in the parking garage and ended it in he garage-cave. "Then the guard saw me. You can hear the rest from him," Rufaus offered, nodding towards his captor. 

The guard took up his offer: "It was just as I told you, Your Majesty. He surrendered as soon as we saw him, and said he had to see the king at once." He pausing before adding, "Your Majesty? What should we do with the intruder?"

Rufaus felt anxiety rise in his stomach: he forgot about that!

The king answered, "He can stay here … for now. Captain Goofy can keep an eye on him. Max, return to your duties." The young guard saluted, turned his heel, and left. Rufaus wondered what would happen now that his testimony was told.

The king cut right to the central issue: "You said there are other ways?"

"I did?" He must have been musing to himself aloud as the guard led him here; he was thinking about three specific legends his mind wouldn't leave alone: Koren, the Silver Apples, the Corpse Queen … all reminded him Roxas. Now he knew why.

"Yes. Three ways. Do you know of the legend of Koren?" he asked.

The king and his court didn't, but Kairi did. "According to a legend in our world, Koren was a famous evil wizard who sacrificed part of his soul to gain power," explained the girl. She knew and loved the tale for its happy conclusion; the heroes Duran and Angela defeated Koren in combat.

Taking a breath, Rufaus told the tale in more detail. "Which part of the soul do you think it was?" he suggested at the end.

Everyone stirred. _The part called the heart_, they realized. Hearts and souls do get mixed up in metaphysical studies. Nonetheless, they failed to see how this tale was related to the tale of Sora and Roxas. _Sora would never sacrifice his heart like that_, thought Riku, _unlike me_. He held his tongue and waited for whatever else the son of Jasper wanted to say.

"Have you heard of the Boy and the Silver Apples?" asked Rufaus, anxious to continue. No response, and so he told it as Dad told it to him, as a child. When he was done, he saw his gambit paying off, a little: the king looked intrigued, like he was on to his overarching theme.

"Silver apples?" His face expanded into a grin. "I know this tale! The boy's name was Digory! But I got a different version. Digory was _commanded_ to fetch an apple by Aslan the Lion. The bird never said anything, and was there supposed to be a…oh yeah! Digory never seized one for himself; he took the apple to Aslan, who later allowed him an apple from the tree from which the first apple grew. His mother recovered normally."

"Wow. Your version was really … different," Kairi told Rufaus.

The boy nodded bashfully. "Dad told me that one. Which version do you think is -"

"THE KING'S VERSION!" yelled the wizard and knight together, frightening Rufaus. "It had a happy ending!" added the wizard. "Why'd you tell us the unhappy version?"

Rufaus took some seconds to recover before suggesting, "In the unhappy version, I think the apple consumes its recipient's heart to heal the body." Dad probably made that version up; did he draw inspiration from Grandma?

Everyone nodded. That sounded morbidly plausible; perhaps in the happy version, the apple drew its power from Kingdom Hearts instead. Kingdom Hearts was a source of hearts and power, after all. However, how was this relevant?

Not much, except to Rufaus, and only in an obscure way. Rufaus asked once more, "Have you heard of the Corpse Queen?"

_Not another fable! Or excuse. He must be stalling_. "No," said Riku.

"So you haven't heard it?"

"No. I meant no more stories."

"Let him tell it," chided his redheaded friend. "These stories are connected to Nobodies, can't you tell?"

"Especially this one," promised Rufaus, and told his final tale; he had thought about the Corpse Queen most. As soon as he finished, Kairi shook her head.

"I heard a different version," she said. "The queen died for real, but her husband didn't want to believe it and had her body reanimated by necromancers. They did their job so well, the emperor himself was fooled. Only him, though. The spell ended when he died, because it was his belief that fueled the spell."

"Either way, we have a shell of spiritless flesh," voiced Rufaus. At any rate, his theory had been stated: there were ways to make a Nobody without Heartless. Similarly, there were (many) ways to make a Heartless without other Heartless; the letter said so.

The party mused over the last legend for some time, keeping their eye on Rufaus. "I get it!" said the knight. "In Kairi's version, the queen lost her life, but in the other guy's version, she lost her heart!"

"Losing his heart to grief? Was that what you think happened to Sora?" Riku scoffed, still skeptical. "What gave you that idea?"

"I know something happened to Sora," Rufaus offered, "to turn him into Nobody named Roxas. You know him? Blond hair, blue eyes, black coat, no conscience?"

They knew, but they did not confirm it verbally; they gave wary looks to each other. "How'd you know of him?" wondered Goofy.

Rufaus grimaced, remembering Septimus on the floor. "He visited me and unnerved me out of house and home with his lack of a heart." The memory shifted to Thaddeus' glasses, then out the door. "Then he left. That was when I went to the parking garage."

"So … he must have visited you after he left with Dr. Thorson - wait a minute!" Riku bore the full weight of his eyes on Rufaus. "Nobodies? Lack of a heart?" _He mentioned Keyblades and Heartless too. _"Where did you learn that?" _Did Roxas tell him?_

"From a letter."

"No!" blurted Kairi. "I never gave him the letter! I wanted to, but I didn't!"

Everyone was baffled and wondered what in gummi space she meant, until she pulled a letter out of her dress to prove it. "See? I didn't!" _The only thing I did was clarify the Heartless for him! For his project! Supernatural creatures should be above poison attacks, I said_.

Rufaus was the most baffled of all. "Letter? Oh no, I got a different letter." He reached into his coat and pulled out the white envelope he found under his door. It was larger than her letter; it also had a stamp and a different return address: Dark City, World that Never Was, World of Darkness.

"Crypus Thorson," murmured Riku as Rufaus handed it to him.

Riku let spill its contents into his hands, and let spill a groan from his lips. The letter was long, packed, and had information on Heartless, Keyblades, Kingdom Hearts, gummi space, _et cetera_. "Oh," Kairi murmured as she read over his shoulder. This letter had more stuff than hers; it barely mentioned Nobodies, however.

"Dr. Thorson must have sent this letter. It has his work all over," Riku muttered. His handwriting, to be more specific. "He ruined everything!"

"I can't see how," Rufaus contested. "The way I see it, he made up for you not telling me anything. You know all along…why didn't you tell me about Dad and Heartless?" The indignation of a cuckolded victim was not hard to miss in his voice.

A pause…then Riku began stiffly, "There are things man was not meant to know -"

"Don't give me that overused cliché!" Rufaus snapped, angry.

Riku, surprised by the ferocity and suddenness of that outburst, returned it: "I'm serious! It was a bunch of people seeking forbidden knowledge that started this whole mess!"

"Yeah! You would have been hurt!" added Donald.

Rufaus heeded their alibi not at all. With scorn, in fact: "How, emotionally? I'm sure that would have been less than seeing Dad trying to kill Sora and _not knowing what was really going on!_"

Everyone paused. Good point: who wanted to be under the mistaken belief that a loved one turned evil, when it truth it was a Nobody? Everyone except Riku, who retorted, "You want to be stuck with the knowledge that your dad lost his heart, went evil, and tried to kill my best friend?"

"Better that than no knowledge at all." Why was Riku reiterating the stupid "forbidden knowledge" cliché? "At least I wouldn't have to spend the rest of my life wondering what happened to him and Mom."

"You should have stuck with blissful ignorance."

"It wasn't blissful ignorance I was experiencing, it was the despair of unknowing! You try losing your parents and not knowing what happened to them!"

"Guys! Don't fight!" pleaded Kairi.

"We weren't fighting," said Riku. He pointed at the offending outsider. "He was picking on me for no reason."

"Reason? I'll give you a reason," retorted Rufaus. "He ordered Sora to kill Dad!"

"Your dad was already dead! That man wasn't your dad!" Riku regarded Rufaus with a barbarian's sullen stare. "He tried to kill Sora! Sora was only defending himself! How could you …"

He trailed off, and began to chuckle. Rufaus and Kairi stared ahead, confused. "So … you blame me for your father's death," Riku chortled softly. "Not Sora."

"Never Sora," agreed Rufaus, also softly. Sora was his friend, or would have been, if not for Destiny and Kingdom Hearts. "Sora couldn't stomach killing Dad. That's why he turned into Roxas. He couldn't stomach the guilt and his heart sank in it."

"Guilt?" Kairi thought about the Corpse Queen. Sora was made of stronger stuff than she was, and yet … Rufaus did tell that tale last. "You think so?"

Rufaus nodded in a deadpan manner. "Sora must have felt guilty for Dad's death, since Roxas tried to make up for it by killing Grandma." He returned their shocked silence with his own.

Kairi inwardly gasped. _I wish my grandmother was dead, _he had said And she had heard, and told Sora. Was she an accomplice? "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Riku make a brief, choking sound; why was he not surprised? The rest just gaped.

"Don't be. Roxas thought he was being considerate, somehow knowing of my relationship with Grandma." Rufaus wondered why he was defending the one responsible for her demise. _A token of our friendship, indeed!_ "Since he's a Nobody and lacks a heart and the concept of mercy, his consideration got all twisted." Some concepts were obvious with a heart and obscure without, and mercy was one of them; mercy was about getting what you don't deserve. He returned to his silence.

Silence would have reigned, but King Mickey revived the conversation. "Hey fellas! We need to get our discussion back on track. How did Roxas return… that's not so important any more! The questions we really need to focus on now are: _why did he return, and what does DarkGov want with Roxas?_"

"Roxas sought out Dr. Thorson, didn't he?" blurted Kairi.

Everyone pondered that question, obeying the king, knowing its urgency. Even Rufaus pondered; he knew about Dark City Government from his letter, and had guessed the stranger who took him to Kismet to be a member named Dr. Thorson.

"It can't just be to clean up their problems," muttered Donald.

"It's got to be something more," agreed Goofy. "I know! Something related to Roxas."

"Something related to Organization XIII," suggested Lady Daisy

"Something Roxas wants to take part of," mused Queen Minnie.

Everyone nodded; every point made sense. Except to Riku: "Roxas left Organization XIII; he wanted nothing to do with it. Why would he want anything to do with its ally?"

* * *

"What makes you think I want anything to do with you?" demanded Roxas. 

The man opposite him smiled like some slimy sleaze ball. "Common interest? You came back to Dark City, after all."

"Like I was going to stay in Destiny Islands." The blond turned to gaze outside: rain, rain and more rain. The man at the desk let him. _Let him gaze all he wish, he'll get bored soon._ It was a dark and stormy night, as usual. It was always raining.

"You left at a different time than Dr. Thorson," the man noted.

"I had a personal errand to run."

"Uh-huh. Did Dr. Thorson tell you about our troubles?

"Yes: Heartless and Maleficent." Roxas gave a snort. "You want me to clean up." _Like a bloody janitor. _

"You're the one with the magic key-shaped broom." The portly man combed his dark brown buzz cut with his fingers. "So … did Dr. Thorson tell you about our plans?"

"Yes: He also said to come to you if I had any complaints." Roxas spun away from the window to look at the man, his blue eyes hard. "I do."

_So he does_, mused the man. "What of it?"

"Xemnas."

"What of him?"

"Don't you know what sort of man Xemnas was?" Roxas radiated concern now. What sort of concern? What a change from his contempt earlier! The man was amused.

The man responded, "He was a Nobody, same as us. Let us not judge him." He spread his hands in a mockery of goodwill and his former self. "He had no heart, no ability to feel, and could not help himself."

"Mayor Johnson, this is not funny."

_Whoa, he sounds serious._ He chuckled. "Yes it is. What, you want to take his place like Marluxia?" He chuckled some more. _Ah, to be young and immature again … and ambitious as hell. Where did my old drive go? Oh yeah, some Heartless took it. _

"Mayor Johnson, do you find everything funny?"

Suddenly a dark corridor opened, and Dr. Crypus Thorson came into the office somewhat worse for wear. "Mayor Johnson, pardon my entrance. I have urgent news." He noticed Roxas and gave the blond a brief resentful glare. "Damn you."

Roxas returned his own brief glare. "What?"

"Your errand was ominous," Crypus seethed. "What were you thinking?"

"Whoa, what did he do?" the mayor wondered.

"He turned three people into Heartless!" Crypus pointed an irritated finger at Roxas. "People in that world will get suspicious! An elderly woman and her two sons -"

"Who cares?" Mayor Johnson was unfazed; at least he was honest. "Why do you care? I don't. Let people speculate." _Folks back home still think I was killed in an explosion._

"I don't either. But her grandchild -"

"- needed to be rid of his legal guardian," Roxas interrupted. "She was going to turn his life into a living hell." He was not bothered by his act of semi-murder at all. "I had to stop her somehow." He tossed a conspiratorial glare at Crypus.

_Hey kid, guess what? Having no guardian SUCKS_!

Crypus' former self would have said that. Sora had parents and plenty of relatives and family friends to take him in. What did he know of begging and living day by day as an orphan in the harsh streets of his Other's hometown? _I would be intensely upset over this, had I a heart. I am upset over it nonetheless._

Mayor Johnson took his silence for unspeakable rage. "Now now … he has a point," he consoled. "Some people can only be stopped with a shotgun. What's done is done. Let's see, what else is done? Oh yeah, Xemnas. Poor Xemnas."

"Xemnas was the traitor," insisted Roxas. "Not me."

"It's true. That's why I came here," agreed Crypus. "Xemnas wasn't only a traitor, he -"

"Xemnas was the most powerful Nobody ever. The oldest too," the mayor sang, ignoring them and twiddling his fingers; the more serious the conversation, the more flippant his actions. "He and all Organization members. They were the top, the best of the best of the best, right Roxas?" He gestured vaguely. "Even Zexion. You know…the girly one with purple hair?"

Crypus twitched at mention of Zexion. "Silver."

"Xemnas and his people are gone," maintained Roxas. "Having me back doesn't mean having Organization XIII back."

"Guess again; because of you, Organization XIII _will _be back!" The sleazy-looking man grinned eager designs at the Key of Destiny. "If something didn't really exist, it wasn't really destroyed, right?"


	24. Chapter 22

"_Maybe DarkGov needs Roxas to … bring back Organization XIII?" suggested Goofy._

_They were brainstorming for some time now. Why did Roxas return? What does DarkGov want with Roxas? What did Organization XIII have to do with it? "But Organization XIII is gone!" reminded Donald, fed up with all the brainstorming._

"_Great suggestion, Goofy!" chirped King Mickey. _

"_What?" Donald could not comprehend. _

"_Maybe DarkGov wants Roxas to establish a new Organization, with him as the head," proposed the mouse, stroking his snout. He looked worried, distracted by these new thoughts. Donald inwardly balked: impossible! _

"_New head, huh? That might make him want to go along with them," mused Rufaus._

"_Roxas, the new Xemnas…?" shuddered Riku. "He won't do that."_

_Kairi agreed firmly, "Roxas would never want to be like Xemnas!" Goofy nodded vigorously, and Donald shot narrowed knives at the new guy for agreeing with such a vile suggestion, even if it came from King Mickey. _

_King Mickey had already blazed new theories, however. "Whether Roxas wants to rejoin the reestablished Organization or not, DarkGov needs him to reform it," he proposed, "for their own purposes." _

_The rest did not argue. That made sense._

"_Right. They could have set up their own Organization otherwise," agreed the queen. "One under their control." The rest could not argue. That theory was becoming uncannily sound. _

"_They need Roxas," concluded the king, slumped on his throne like a lazy child. He looked distinctly uncomfortable, as though frightened by his own theory. Could it be true? Donald forced himself not to think about it. True or not, the truth will come out when the fairies return for their weekly meeting with the king._

_Flora and her sisters were late, he thought grumpily._

_Meanwhile, the three teenagers were discussing the theory among themselves; only the new guy was for it. "Maybe DarkGov had a contract with Organization XIII and can't or won't break it," suggested Rufaus. "Maybe Organization XIII had sole jurisdiction over … heart-related matters."_

"_A contract? Are you sure?" inquired Riku, skeptical._

"_Contract or not, if DarkGov could form their own Organization, they would have done so and crossed paths with you guys months ago -"_

"_Cross paths? Why not lay low? The last Organization made the mistake of -"_

"_Is something wrong, Your Majesty?" asked Kairi. _

_The king's discomfort was overly obvious now. King Mickey tried to pass if off with a smile and a shake of his head. He failed and said, "Aw, it's nothing fellas, just that … the fairies are late." So, Donald wasn't the only one worried about that._

_Flora and co. were supposed to be here first thing this morning, Donald remembered with distress. Before he and Riku were to return, in fact. They were usually on time. What happened? They wouldn't be late on purpose…would they? _

_They waited some more, and the fairies did not show up. "Oh dear … I think … I think Lady Dais's, right. Something's happened to them," fretted Queen Minnie finally. _

_Later, extensive attempts to contact them proved that true._

* * *

And so, there he was. 

Donald Duck was not having a good day. Because he was a magician and could make himself invisible (and had visited the place before) he had been chosen to rescue the fairies from DarkGov HQ - and take up their reconnaissance in the meantime, to see if King Mickey's theory was true.

Donald Duck: super-spy or utterly lost?

He hoped his ship was hidden safely in the Alley to Between. He hoped his invisibility spell was still on. He hoped he would soon discern where Dark City Government Headquarters was. Most of all, he hoped the Heartless would stop bothering him and huddling around him and attacking him and – "THUNDER!" **ZAP!** Stupid Shadows!

He hoped no one saw that. No one saw that. "Whew."

Memory's Skyscraper as a bust; no Government Headquarters it was (as he hoped), just a tenement. Nonetheless, he was glad he visited it: a map snatched from a chest in an unoccupied apartment yielded a treasure better than munny: a detailed map to Dark City.

And so, there he was.

Donald kept as still and silent as possible as he crept in, invisible. What an uninviting office, grey all over: grey carpeting, grey bookshelves, grey ceiling, etc. While Organization XIII focused on stark white (architecture) and black (clothing), DarkGov focused on the spectrum in-between. No trace of white or black anywhere, only grey.

Inside, two men were conversing, one seated behind a stone-grey table, the other standing opposite him. Both wore grey mage robes. The standing one was familiar; he had white hair and red eyes. The other … _him? He's the leader?_

He had an ersatz air of authority about him, this Mayor W. S. Johnson. With his slightly heavyweight frame and mismatching buzz-cut, he cut a strange figure. He grinned often and poked humor at every stupid little thing. Donald found him disturbing, despite his easygoing surface. _What callousness! He laughs because he's cruel and can't feel for anyone - _

"Now, a more serious matter: the Organization," began the white-haired man opposite him, all business and resentment. "Have you reconsidered your plan now that you've read my report?"

"Nope, sorry! I just can't see what the matter is," the callous man said.

His companion did not let the matter go. He exclaimed, "But Xemnas was a traitor! His Other was the one who _unleashed Heartless on us in the first place_!" For effect, he slammed a fist onto the table. "In fact, he and the founding members of -"

"- may have been trying to repent for their crimes. Never thought of that, did ya?" W. S. gently shoved the offending fist off his table. Crypus stopped in mid-speech.

Donald perked up. _They're talking about Xehanort!_

"You think so?" Crypus snorted. "It is conceivable their mission was a front -"

Then all humor drained out of Mayor Johnson like water down a sink as he answered tersely, "You forget, Doctor … Organization XIII had a contract with DarkGov: restore everyone in Dark City, if a way is ever found to restore a heart. A _contract_. Unbreakable except by me."

Crypus trembled in anger. "Organization XIII was the _reason _for DarkGov and Dark City and all of us being Nobodies …" he muttered darkly.

"Think of it this way … they got us into this mess, they'll get us out."

"They are to be punished."

"Afterwards! _After_ we get our hearts back!" Apparently W. S. regained his mirth (laced with a little ire or impatience). "Don't blow up the super computer five minutes before it computes the ultimate answer, Doctor!"

_Roxas must have about Crypus about the secret Ansem reports_, thought Donald. _Roxas must have told him about Xehanort, Braig, Dilan, and the rest._ Little wonder he was so upset, and rightfully so. But other than that … were the two Nobodies referring to Xemnas and co_. in the present tense_ in some parts?

_Less thinking, more spying, _the duck scolded himself. Hopefully, they will eventually talk about fairies.

"You're upsetting me with your presence, go away," commanded Mayor Johnson to Doctor Thorson. He waved a hand. "Shoo, shoo!"

Crypus insisted on staying. "Why are you not upset by the reports?"

The mayor shrugged, and humor left him again. Mechanically, he scratched his buzz-cut and explained, "Doctor, I've been a Nobody longer than you have. Nine years. It comes to a point where you stop caring about stuff like this."

"Like where the cure for the Nobody condition comes from." Crypus avoided his gaze.

"Right. You spend enough years as a Nobody, you get _desperate_. Who cares where the cure comes from? Like, the original perpetrators?" W. S. leaned back in his chair, the better to make his point.

"Who cares how the cure comes about, for that matter?" Crypus mimicked sarcasm quite well in his voice. _Original perpetrators?_ Donald had a bad feeling about this …

"Organization XIII was all gung-ho to fulfill its objective, right? We need gung-ho folks! God knows such Nobodies are rare," W. S. continued adamantly. "Enthusiasm aside, only they have had the extensive experience with Heartless."

Crypus did not answer. He looked to the door, and Donald feared the guy was looking right at him. Of course not! He was still invisible. Hopefully. Donald tried not to shudder; that might give him away.

Donald shuddered at these next words from W. S.:

"Now go convince Roxas to help us bring back the Organization so they can resume their work and we can resume running this burg instead of fending off attacks from the populace like an unpopular president. If you like, you can throw a hissy fit at Xemnas for what he did as Xehanort."

_Bring back? Resume? **Xemnas**! _Donald nearly lost his composure. _They don't want to establish a new Organization XIII – they'd rather bring the old one back!_ He nearly his eyeballs by letting them roll out of their shocked sockets onto the floor.

"Roxas will not agree with your plan, note my words," stated Crypus, turning away and heading towards the door. "He'll put a keyhole through your belly first."

"I'll give him Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis first!" said W. S., suddenly irritable. "He was so for it before!"

"So was I."

"Well, he hasn't left yet. Go convince him and yourself. That's an order."

Crypus reached for the doorknob, but stopped. _Aw, come on_, fretted Donald. _Leave already!_ The duck had enough information to make his report now (and what a report), but he needed that man to leave so he could calm down and flee … er, formulate his plan on how to flee … um, rescue Flora and co. –

"Mayor Johnson!" proclaimed Crypus suddenly. "I fear ourselves to be spied upon within this very room."

"WHAT!" cried the duck. Whoops. Chaos followed.

The magician readied his staff and prepared to unleash his most powerful spells, but to no avail. Instantly his throat tightened and his voice box froze. He couldn't speak, he could not cast magic.

"… … …!" he swore. Then he turned visible. Worse and worse!

"Odd, I expected fairies," commented Crypus.

"Gotcha!" gloated the mayor giddily; he clutched a button-laced stick in his right hand for some reason. Meanwhile, Crypus produced a curved emerald dagger from his robes, ready to carve himself some duck. He didn't get the chance. Donald fled like demented fleeing prey.

He didn't get very far. He ran smack into Roxas.

His first emotion was joy – then he remembered Roxas was not Sora, and his second emotion was panic. "Oh no!"

Roxas smacked him upside the beak with Oblivion.

Donald recalled what occurred afterwards, but next thing he knew, Dusks were swarming about him, tying his hands behind his back. Mayor Johnson was giving them his next command, something about interrogations and extra-crispy.

Nearby, Roxas was chatting with Crypus. _With Crypus Thorson._ _With the enemy._ Donald cursed loudly … or would have, if not for his new muteness. What did that chubby mayor do to him?

"Haul him away," the chubby mayor ordered.

_Don't wallow in self-pity!_ urged Donald's conscience._ Try to learn something while you still can!_ Dutiful to his mission to the end, the magician eavesdropped the best he could from Roxas and Crypus as he was hauled to his cell, or his doom …

Crypus coughed. "I know you overheard. I know you hated Xemnas, so -"

"You're mistaking me for Sora, Doctor Thorson."

Pause. "Then, you do want to cooperate with us in our plan?"

"What, you don't want me to?"

"I do. Rather, DarkGov does. But I doubt reviving the Organization counts towards helping Dark City or DarkGov … aside from massaging the mayor's ego. He thinks it to be sole key to salvation."

"He's right. Xemnas knew more about Kingdom Hearts than Sora or I ever did."

"True … so, you will help us revive Organization XIII?"

A longer pause. "I want to revive its members. Let's leave it at that…"

The conversation grew too faint to hear at this point. Donald's mind was all-tizzy. What a horrible plan! DarkGov plans to revive Organization XIII! And Roxas would go with it? Roxas would undo all that Sora, Goofy, and he accomplished?

_I hope we'll eventually know where the fairies are. I hope Goofy has more luck …._

* * *

And so, there he was. 

Goofy felt nervous. Because he had experience battling Nobodies and Heartless (and had visited the site before), Goofy had been chosen to infiltrate the Castle that Never Was and see if Maleficent had the fairies or not – and spy on Maleficent in the meantime, see what the evil witch was planning.

The Goof: super-spy or hapless victim-to-be?

Infiltrating the Castle that Never Was (again) proved to be easier than expected. The pathway from before was still there at the Brink of Despair (As was the Moogle shop! Lucky!), where he left his gummi ship. Heartless and Nobodies he encountered, but only occasionally; whenever he found them, they were too busy battling each other to focus on Goofy.

The map to the Castle that Never Was proved to be very handy.

A new enemy he found: short, squat evil-looking bogeymen and goblins with pitchforks and bat wings and cloven feet. They fought alongside the Heartless. These minions of Maleficent were no match for Nobodies … or Goofy.

"#&!" cried one minion was he fell to the knight's shield. Hurray for Whirly-Goof!

"Gotcha!" His enemy fallen, Goofy resumed searching for the fairies. He called out, "Flora? Fauna? Merryweather?" No response. He was all alone. _Gawsh … it's so empty here! I hope Donald's having more luck. Maybe he'll find the fairies. _

The fairies weren't here, but neither was Maleficent; were not for the vines and minions, Goofy would have assumed she gave up the castle for lost and moved away. Maybe she did, and forgot to pack up first. Did she abandon the place? If so, why? Goofy was starting to get unnerved from so many unanswered questions …

"Hey! What are you doing here?" came a ragged new voice.

"Pete! Oh boy!" Goofy cried joyously despite himself. He wasn't alone! "I'm sure glad to see you!"

"Well, I ain't glad to see you," the fat cat grumbled, glaring grumpily at the knight. Pete looked like a mess. His uniform was dirty and his face was surly. He looked like he had been abandoned. This, in fact, was what had happened, wasn't it?

"You lookin' for Maleficent? Yer wastin' time!" snorted Pete. "She ain't here no more."

"Really? Where did she go?"

Pete chuckled low and harsh. "Back to her homeworld, duh! You think Sora's her only enemy?" He spat. "She left me in dis here stinkin' place without even sayin' goodbye!" Little wonder he looked so frazzled. This place must have been falling apart with Maleficent gone and Pete – not the most reliable underling in existence – left behind to run things.

"Does she have the fairies?" Goofy blurted out impulsively. Maleficent must have! Why else did she leave? She and the fairies shared the same homeworld…

At this, Pete burst into coarse chortles. "Heh heh heh! They left you too?"

What? What an outrage! "Flora and Fauna and Merryweather would never leave us!" Goofy protested. "They're on the mission from the king!" _ They're our allies, our friends. They would never leave!_

Mean ol' Pete just continued laughing as if he just heard a great joke. "Ha ha ha ha … boy, you sure is dense. They work for the king, but do they love him? Not enough!"

"Whadda talkin' about, Pete?"

"Yeh honestly think they'll stick with youse when their dear Briar Rose in danger?" Pete clutched his belly to stifle further chuckles. He kinda failed. "Yeh honestly think they'd pick ol' Mickey Mouse over their darling girl?"

_Briar Rose?_ Goofy scratched his head with his shield. He recalled something from over a year ago, from Hallow Bastion; wasn't Briar Rose Princess Aurora's nickname? And Aurora came from the same world as - _something must have happened to the Princess of Heart. _And Maleficent must have done that something. And the fairies must have gone after her. Pete was right, Goofy realized. They has been betrayed.

Betrayed by the heart.

How could Flora, Fauna, or Merryweather - Aurora's guardians - focus on serving King Mickey, important though he may be, if something dire has happened to someone more important to them? Betrayed by their hearts, their love for their ward, the fairies must have dropped everything and sped straight for their homeworld, chasing after Maleficent, the instant they sensed something was wrong.

Goofy somewhat understood their plight, but still felt betrayal. _Sora would never do something like that._ Sora would focused on his mission come trouble or shock, such as Kairi and Riku's status during the original adventure. The testament of a strong will, perhaps.

Pete regarded his foe with a sneaky grin. "Wanna know what happened to her?"

"No."

"Aw, c'om!"

"Pete, I don't think -"

"I gots a magic mirror right here! Lookit!" Ignoring Goofy's protests, Pete whipped out a handheld mirror from his person and showed it to the knight. Goofy gaped at the image it held. Sure enough, it showed Princess Aurora. She was in her blue dress. She was splayed on the floor in some dark dismal room, face down.

Her neck appeared to be broken.


	25. Chapter 23

_When attempts to contact the fairies proved futile, Disney Castle acted right away. _

"_Donald, Goofy, you must go to the World that Never Was," the king commanded his top wizard and knight. "Reconnaissance mission. Donald, you find and spy on DarkGov Headquarters. Goofy, you spy on the Castle that Never Was."_

"_Yes, Your Majesty!" obeyed Donald. Goofy just made a quick salute._

"_Find them. Find out what happened to them," pleaded Queen Minnie._

"_Find out what DarkGov or Maleficent are up to in the meantime," added King Mickey. "We can't waste any time now that Roxas is back." Immediately, the two bowed and hurried out of the audience chamber. To the gummi garage, no doubt, to separate ships. They must save time and split up, the king had implied._

_Such resolve, thought Rufaus as he watched them go. Such loyalty, such love for duty and domain – "Hmm … now, I wonder what we should do with you?" asked the king to the new guy._

_Rufaus froze and his hair pricked up. He forgot about that! "Me?"_

"_Yep. You're in the know now, and obviously you want to know more, so …" The king sat back down on his throne and rubbed his chinless jaw. "You can help us somehow."_

"_I can?" Rufaus wondered, dumbfounded. How? He was just some guy. _

_Next to him, Kairi squealed in delight as inspiration struck. "Rufaus, what do you do on Saturday? Do you have a schedule?" she questioned, excited. "Do you go to Gladstone Library on Saturday?"  
_

"_Yes. Every Saturday morning," he answered, still dumbfounded. "Up until noon."_

"_Oh, Rufaus! He was looking for you!" Before he could inquire further, Kairi grabbed his hand and elaborated, "Crypus Thorson. He was waiting at Gladstone. You remember him, right? Red eyes, white hair?"_

"_How could I not?" That albino-complexioned man led him to Dad. _

"_We met him this morning in the library, right before Roxas came," explained the girl. "He said he was looking for someone. He couldn't mean Jasper or Roxas … he must have meant you!" Kairi sounded very sure now._

"_Me? Why?" Sudden realization: "Because of my connection to Dad?" _

"_Yes." His realization subdued her enthusiasm a bit. "He must have wanted to talk about Jasper … who he was, what he was, why he died." Then it rose again. "Maybe he's still waiting for you!"_

"_Great thinking, Kairi!" quipped King Mickey, now also struck by inspiration. "Rufaus, how would you like be a spy?"_

_The entire court awaited his response. "A spy?" he mewed.  
_

"_Yep!" The mouse nodded eagerly. "You've met him before. It's perfect! Get him to talk about DarkGov and Roxas when you meet him again. Report everything you learn to us."_

_Rufaus stammered, "Um, your Majesty … So soon? And what if he isn't looking for me? I don't think -"_

"_C'om, Rufaus," Kairi encouraged. "For Sora. For your dad. You have to try."_

"_Do it," Riku interrupted. "Do it to make up for what happened."_

"_What happened?" What was Riku insinuating – that silver-haired jerk! "Wait, you blame me for Friday? What did I ever do to Sora?"_

_Riku could no longer control his temper … or his ire at being cursed at on Friday. "Isn't it obvious? It's kinda your fault; Sora fell into and wallowed in guilt because of you. You honestly think Sora cared one whit about your dad?"_

"_I was nowhere near Sora when he became Roxas!"_

"_Riku, Rufaus, don't fight. Sora chose to become Roxas on his own," scolded Kairi. _

"_She's right," agreed King Mickey. "Rufaus, you don't have to decide right now. Think it over for a while…"_

* * *

And so, there he was. 

Under guard, Rufaus paced back and forth in the hall outside the throne room like some overclocked automation, working his brain, thinking it over. Should he or shouldn't he? Even if he should, can he? He was besieged by doubts of every design.

What if he gets caught? What if he learns nothing? What if he learns he was on the wrong side? Who knows? He was new to this conflict and knew only the barest outline.

All doubts were bust if he never meets Crypus again, of course.

Despite his classmates' beliefs, he did not have any link to the Nobody. The incident on Friday happened like this: one minute, he was walking down the street; the next, grabbed by a stranger and thrust into what he thought was a dark ally. Suddenly he was in front of famed Kismet Cathedral, in front of Dad and Sora; all thoughts of the stranger were forgotten. There was no real prior interaction.

If he never meets Crypus again, then what? Would he be pressured into some other task to pay the penalty of his intrusion? Or would he be imprisoned for knowing too much? _At least Crypus wanted to tie up loose ends, if__Kairi's account is of any indication, _he thought gloomily. _That's more than I can say for Riku_.

In the hallway, Max and PJ continued to watch him.

_So … just as I blame him for Dad, he blames me for Sora, _the new guy sulked. Rufaus decided he didn't like Riku all that much._ Maybe I should tell the king no, just to spite him._ Maybe he should tell the king no anyway; he didn't know King Mickey all that well. Despite the mouse's open-hearted demeanor, someone who had a person like Donald Duck in his employ couldn't be all that benevolent. Donald, who crippled his father into that … shape …

On the other hand, what about Sora? _This isn't about Disney Castle, this is about Sora._ Sora was his friend. Sora was a wonderful person. Sora was sincerely sorry for Dad. Sora just suffered a fate worse than death. Sora deserved to be restored. If it means doing whatever it takes …

He quickened his pace a bit.

What if this scheme never gets off the ground? What if Crypus suspects right away and he is taken prisoner or killed for being a spy? _Getting Crypus' trust … that's the core issue, isn't it? _What a dilemma.

"You okay?" asked the chubby guard named PJ.

"Not really," Rufaus replied truthfully. "I think I need a better place to think. Is there a … place where I can sit down? Alone?"

"The Royal Library is up head," suggested Max. "We can keep guard at the doors. You'll have the whole place to yourself."

"Thank you!" Right away, he sped into the room ahead … and ran smack into Crypus.

The man had made the library into a mess. Volumes piled on tables and littered the floor like so many autumn leaves. Brown shelves stood bare, or half-bare, like deciduous trees in autumn.

Rufaus screamed. The man jumped like a hare leaping out of his burrow. Then he relaxed, seeing that it was only Rufaus - wait a minute … only Rufaus? "Rufaus J. Reddison? What are you doing here?" the man demanded.

"I can ask you the same thing!" Rufaus tried to keep his cool. He failed and fled for the doors – but was knocked by some force. A force field? He tried to open the doors. Nothing happened except for faint pink ripples.

"No one can leave this room as long as I am here," explained Crypus tersely behind him. "In addition, I have enchanted the library to be soundproof. You cannot yell for aid."

"What about guards?" Those words flew out of Rufaus' mouth before he could stop it. In answer, Crypus unsheathed a curved blade. It gleamed with green menace.

"What you doing here?" the adult inquired. _Why are you consorting with the enemy?_ He implied. Rufaus noted his irritation, noted the underlying accusation.

Then an alibi came to his rescue: "House arrest. Disney Castle put me under house arrest." Rufaus marveled at his statement. It was only partly false.

But it was believed. Crypus asked, "House arrest? How did that occur?"

Better roll with it, then: "I followed Riku and Kairi to Disney Castle. Illicitly; I stowed away in their ship. I wanted to know exactly what happened between Sora and Dad, so I thought if I went to the court …"

"Instead of an explanation, you got arrested?"

"Yeah. Guards got me. See, they blame me for what happened to Sora," Rufaus found himself saying. "I am an accomplice in what happened yesterday, so they say." That, too, was only partly false. _Sora fell into and wallowed in guilt because of you. You honestly think Sora cared one whit about your dad?_

To his surprise, Crypus bowed and said, "I apologize for forcibly seizing you and making you witness the events of yesterday."

Rufaus blinked in shock. "You mean it?" _Kairi was right, he wants to tie up loose ends. _

"Using you to counter Riku and Donald had unexpected results, good and bad," Crypus mused, resuming his task. "You losing your remaining family counted among the bad. I wish to recompense." He paused before adding in a softer tone, "I had planned to meet with you earlier to discuss terms of compensation."

"…. and to explain the deal with Dad," Rufaus finished without thinking.

Crypus blinked in puzzlement, a book in his hands. "How did you surmise that?"

Rufaus hoped his response was adequate: "It was obvious … you're the one who took me to Dad! And, well …" The man did not reply – no doubt he found that answer unsatisfactory – so Rufaus added, "King Mickey told me about you and Dad. Doubtless you want to explain your side of the story."

To his great surprise, the Nobody chuckled. "He's on the good side. Fact is, most conflicts are not morally symmetrical. Disney Castle fights for justice and to save innocents from intrusions by monsters like Heartless and us. We fight for selfish gain and care not at all about innocents."

_But you fight nonetheless. You really, really want your hearts back. What bluntness. What surprise. What sadness._ "Even Dad?"

A long pause, then a lengthy exposition: "Jasper was a more cautious Nobody than most. He once said, 'The last thing I want to do when I get my heart back is to kill myself out of guilt.' From his actions as a Nobody, he meant. Thus he tried his best not to harm innocents, if due to foresight and not morality."

_What a revelation. What a relief. Still…_ Rufaus knew he father was a good man, even as a Nobody. "Speaking of innocents …what's going to happen to me?"

"Nothing. I will delete your memory of this event when I exit this area."

Rufaus made a face. Crypus was a good man too, he supposed, just not as good. _No memory wipes, please. Dad died from having his memory wiped._ "Disney Castle wants me to spy on you," he revealed.

Crypus looked up sharply, dropping some books. "What?"

"Disney Castle is going to keep me under house arrest until I consent to spying for them," Rufaus found himself babbling. "They know you plan to meet with me, so they want to use that to their advantage. They say I have to do it and … and redeem myself for my part on Friday."

Crypus looked disgusted. Or horrified. "You dare not!"

"No, I have an idea." Rufaus braced himself for his next statement: "How about I spy on them for you, under the pretext of spying on you for them?"

* * *

"_Do you think Rufaus can be trusted?"_

"_Of course. Sora trusted him."_

"_Sora barely knew him. He knew him for a month. You too, Kairi."_

"_I ..." True enough. Could they trust Rufaus, son of their late enemy? "Rufaus knows we're the good guys, and the Nobodies are the enemy. Why else would he follow us?"_

"_To harm us and take revenge for his old man?"_

"_Guys! I'm still in the room!" Rufaus reminded Riku and Kairi. He was currently being escorted out of the audience chamber by Max and PJ. He had overheard; their whispers weren't soft enough. _

"_Sorry." Riku didn't sound too sorry. _

"_Oh!" Kairi covered her mouth in shame, very sorry._

_Rufaus cast his eyes down as he was escorted out. He knew he wasn't trusted, and he accepted that fact; folly to a court that trusted every newcomer. He wondered what awaited him were he to refuse the assignment. In harsher courts, kin of enemies were killed in order to prevent future revenge. Maybe he would just have his memory wiped._

* * *

He listed his reasons the best he could. "I have little love for Disney Castle. They have Riku and Donald with them," he said. "I hate them, especially Donald. I hate … I hate the fact that they got away with what they did." 

Crypus was still skeptical. "A corpse for a corpse, you mean?"

"Kinda. I mean … I mean … let me help you by hindering Disney Castle."

"So … thy enemy of my enemy is a friend?"

_Stop listing clichés, please. Wait, I'm doing the same. _"You helped Dad, right? With the letters, and the packages, and the duel. So let me … repay you for helping Dad."

"You're welcome." Crypus was still skeptical, judging from his expression.

_Nobodies require different reasoning than the rest of us. Emotional appeals won't work; they lack emotion._ Rufaus tried one last time: "You say your side fights for selfish gains instead of justice. But in reality, in a war, both sides fight for selfish gain. Justice isn't a goal, it's a cover-up."

Crypus stirred; how true indeed. How many times was justice used for egocentric ends? A warlord besieges a city to get his unfaithful wife back and hides cuckolded rage under the name of hospitality abuse. One tribe conquers another and takes the latter's resource-rich land in the name of reclaiming ancient birthright. A petty lord murders a lady and her son while the latter attend a wedding under his roof and screeches, "They shamed our house when they married off their heir to someone else! We had to cleanse the stain on our honor!"

_Damn, boy! You've got good brains in your noggin! _

His Other would have said that. That long-gone youth was sold into slavery and told it was justice; his parents (later executed) were enemies of the new king. Later, he was tossed out of his master's house and told it was justice; apt punishment for theft. Nothing like life on the streets to learn about the importance of selfish gain …

"Your side is more sympathetic. I understand it. Dad died for it," Rufaus was rambling. "Restoring people's hearts is a great cause. It's selfish, but at least it's honest. And I hate siding with secretive hypocrites."

"King Mickey isn't a hypocrite, nor secretive" Crypus commented wryly. Memories continued to play in his mind's background. "However, Ansem the Wise was both."

"Look … I want to get back at them, and I don't want to live under house arrest!" Rufaus was getting desperate. "My reasons are heart-based, I can't help it! I'm sorry if you can't comprehend it yet!" He took a deep breath. "You guys are in the right, else Sora wouldn't have joined you! Roxas wouldn't have joined, I mean. But Roxas is Sora. You hate reconnaissance work, right? Let me do it for you."

"I accept," Crypus said. _Can't comprehend it **yet.  
**_

"What?"

"Your argument is flawed, but sufficient. As you stated, I detest reconnaissance work. It's time consuming, and not within my area of expertise. There is also the risk of discovery. Your offer is sensible and desirable, but how do I know you to be credible?"

Rufaus realized he was in a bind. "What were you looking for in the library?"

* * *

"These are the notes Donald reviewed last time," Kairi noted. "The ones by Ansem and Yen Sid." Why were they piled into one stack now? That only made them even harder to understand. She remembered the duck's frustration. _These reports on Nobodies … they don't add up! _They still didn't. 

Kairi, Riku, and Mickey Mouse were currently in the royal bedroom. "I kept them by my bed and read them every night before goin' to bed," explained King Mickey. "They …. kinda got mixed up. Heh heh." He looked sheepish.

"Not good to mix work with rest," the girl muttered. Kairi now had the onerous task of reorganizing the notes, as well as the task of planning Disney Castle's next stratagem against DarkGov with Mickey and Riku. Why else were they in the master bedroom? It afforded secrecy.

"Shouldn't we wait until Donald and Goofy get back?" inquired Riku.

The mouse shook his round head. "Did I wait until Donald and Goofy met Sora to find the Reverse Keyblade? Nope! We can alter our plans when they come back with new information."

"Good idea, Mickey."

Meanwhile, Kairi was having trouble. The handwritings of each author were different, but otherwise looked the same. Also, no page numbers. Talk about work. She glanced behind when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Let me do it," the new guy offered.

"Rufaus?" _Where are Max and PJ?_ "Why are you here?"

"The guards let me go when I made my decision." The blue-haired boy smiled; it was a shy smile, not at all like Sora's customary open grins. But it radiated the same air of openness. "I accept."

"Oh." Kairi was glad.

"Really?" The mouse jumped like a kangaroo. "That's great!"

Riku was not so enthusiastic. _What's with the new guy's change of heart?_ "Because…?"

"I thought about it for a while … and I know which side is right. You fight for justice and saving innocents. The Nobodies fight for selfish gain." Rufaus cast his eyes away. "They murdered my uncles and grandmother and call it a good thing. Bull … murder is murder! The Nobodies are twisted. Let me help you fight the Nobodies any way I can."

Kairi smiled back and handed Rufaus the notes. "Thank you, Rufaus."

"Sure. Um … let me do this right away." Rufaus hefted the sheets in his arms. "This is a lot of notes. I'm going to organize these in the library, is that okay?" Quick as a cat, the new guy spun around and marched right back out of the throne room. Before King Mickey or Kairi could even thank him.

_Focused, isn't he?_ Riku mused.

* * *

"Are these notes what you want?" Rufaus showed Crypus the notes. 

Suddenly, a white floating creature appeared next to the white-haired man, and quick as a wraith, took the notes and shuffled them like cards. When it was done, the notes were in two new stacks, and in order. And in its hands. Rufaus looked on in fascination. And worry.

"Sages are great organizers," explained Crypus. He took the notes from his underling and opened a back hole. "Thank you, but I have to depart now. Next time we meet -"

"Wait!" Rufaus protested. "You can't just take the notes! Can't you … copy the notes or something?" _I never thought you would take them!_

Crypus regarded him with a skeptical look; the black hole vanished, cancelled.

"Disney Castle will suspect me right away and our whole scheme will fall apart!"

The man's doubt dissolved into agreement: "Good point. I had forgotten." It would have been nice to deprive Disney Castle of such crucial information, but such a deed would lead to his eventual discovery. Besides, such a deed was useless if King Mickey already read the notes.

Salvation came when the Sage produced two piles of blank paper and began copying the notes word for word. Very quickly, too. Rufaus watched on in relief and fascination.

* * *

"Here, Your Majesty." The boy handed the mouse two sets of neat, organized papers. "I hope I gained your trust with the notes." 

"Thank you, Rufaus." King Mickey peered over the papers carefully.

"I hope I gain your trust, Your Majesty." Rufaus bowed. "I know you have every right to doubt me." He looked the very picture of respect, honesty, and earnestness.

In the background, Riku watched with crossed arms and wary aquamarine eyes; finally, something they agreed on! Kairi watched Riku with hands clasped behind her back and concerned violet eyes. She wished Riku wouldn't be so suspicious; Rufaus didn't look _that _much like Jasper!

"Okay, everything's accounted for." Satisfied, King Mickey motioned towards the door. "C'om fellas, to the gummi garage! You know your part of our game plan! We have no time to lose! You too, Rufaus!"

"Game plan?" Rufaus was utterly baffled.

"You're going back to Destiny Islands alone," Kairi explain. "The sooner you return, the sooner Crypus contacts you, right? The king, Riku, and I have to go to different places." King Mickey had already gone. Kairi quickly exited after him.

Riku and Rufaus were alone in the room now.

"How do we know we can trust you?" asked the silver-haired teen, never looking away from the son of Jasper. "How do we know you're on our side and not on the Nobodies?"

Rufaus was indignant. "If I wanted to hinder you guys and help the Nobodies, I could have destroyed the notes when I went to the library. But I didn't, did I?"

"No, I guess you didn't," Riku had to admit. _I wish I still have the power of Darkness in me_, he thought. _That way I could smell if he were loyal or not._ Losing that power was almost not worth it. Almost. "Show me that I can trust you. Please. Just anything," Riku blurted out.

Rufaus changed from indignation to resignation. "I have nothing right now. I'm the son of a villain." Rufaus left, leaving Riku alone.

The silver-haired teen mulled Mickey's recent plans. Game plan was this: Rufaus was to go to Destiny Islands and await Crypus Thorson, and report what DarkGov planned; Riku was to go to Radiant Garden and access Ansem's computer, and seek aid from Leon and co.; Kairi was to go to Twilight Town and try the same with the computer at the mansion; Mickey was to go get the Reverse Keyblade (again) …

Time was of the essence, as Roxas was back. Hence the reason why they must split up. Riku hoped Donald and Goofy returned soon; Queen Minnie will give them their next missions as soon as they come back.

They will come back, right?

* * *

Later that night, Clarabelle Cow had a puzzle. 

"Out of paper again? But the library was restocked just this morning!"


	26. Chapter 24

Author's Note: I tried to do something experimental here, switching between Riku's and Donald's POV. If it becomes too confusing to read, and let me know. I apologize for the long delay.

* * *

Why did Riku go to Radiant Garden? After all, he was a (former) henchman of Maleficent, who once conquered and despoiled it. But, he was also a former henchman of Ansem the Wise, who once ruled it. This meant he shared some top-secret info with the late king. 

Such as the password to his top-secret files in his study's computer.

But even that didn't work, nor did an extensive amount of tinkering at the computer thereafter. Someone had hacked into the computer beforehand and corrupted all files pertaining to Nobodies. So much for that. They knew it must have been hacked, for Tron strongly denied the computer ever had such files – a sure sign of memory tampering.

"Didn't Sora tell you? From his second visit? He got nothin' good from the computer. Except for a picture of Ansem," said Cid over his shoulder.

"All relevant data have been corrupted," said Merlin next to Cid.

"Demyx. Demyx must have done this," the silver-haired teen remembered. Sora encountered and defeated the Organization member soon after accessing this computer, during the siege. Why else was Demyx at Radiant Garden, formerly known as Hallow Bastion? Surely not to challenge Sora; that guy could hack, but could he fight?

_I told them they were sending the wrong guy..._

"So … what are you gonna do now? Join Kairi in Twilight Town?" asked Cid. The middle-aged man scratched an itch under his chin. "You think maybe Ansem uses the same password for every computer?"

"Nonsense!" Merlin objected. "That would be most unwise!"

Riku shrugged, "Merlin's right. Ansem wasn't called 'the Wise' for nothing." Still, that wasn't an idea not worth trying. But not so soon; he refused give up so easily. Riku turned around, facing the two older men. "Since I'm still here, maybe you can help me out. Let's brainstorm a way to crack this computer."

Merlin nodded. "Any burden of Disney Castle, we'll gladly share."

Cid rubbed his nose once. "Helps if we know what kinda burden it is first."

The two men were watching him most closely, Riku noticed. Watching for signs of treachery, perhaps? He couldn't blame them; he was an underling of Maleficent, after all, and later a person so seeped in darkness he changed his very form. _Reminds me. I'll have to watch Rufaus closely every time we meet._ "A new group. Dark City Government, DarkGov for short," he explained. "Or just the Government. It was an ally to Organization XIII."

"More Nobodies?" Merlin wondered, raising a white eyebrow.

"DarkGov?" Cid snorted. "What a name. What is it, a sister organization?"

"You can say that. Different uniform, same aura of evil. They want something to do with Organization XIII. That's why they took Roxas in. Now they're planning something big. We don't know what," Riku said. "Not until Donald returns from his spy mission." _Or the fairies. Kairi thinks they're just late. Are they?_

"So that's why you want his files. The DTD, Door to Darkness," mused Merlin. Sora never did get access to the contents of the DTD, he learned from Cid.

"You think he was more information on Nobodies in there?" asked Cid.

Riku nodded. "Yeah, notes not from the secret Ansem reports." These notes would be nowhere as polished or complete as those released ones, he knew. But even half-done musings were better than none. "Our mistake was thinking Organization XIII was the end-all be-all for Nobodies. Xemnas wasn't it." He sighed. "We know so little of Nobodies."

"Indeed," agreed Merlin. The blue-draped wizard went off to grab chairs for himself, Riku, and Cid. Brainstorming was better if everyone was comfortably seated. "Unlike the Heartless, which mindlessly spread from world to world, the Nobodies kept themselves secret for as long as possible," he mused.

Riku gasped, "Until last year!" He nearly fell out of his chair the moment he sat on it. _Castle Oblivion! Perfect timing, wasn't it? Right after we defeated the fake Ansem … _

"Right! Right when Sora got the Keyblade," said Cid. "Wonder how that got 'em all riled up?" The middle-aged man plopped himself on his chair, pondering. He needed a smoke. _Right when a new Key Bearer came about_, thought Riku. Cid is onto something…

"We _have_ to unlock these notes," said Riku. "How…? Merlin, can't you…"

The wizard shook his head. "Magic and machines must not be mixed, my friend."

"Trust me, tried it before," quipped Cid. "It's very risky. That last time … my damn keyboard blew up." Still, were not for the loony wizard special, corrupted computer files would have been the least of their troubles right now.

"But it can be done," Riku said. He felt hope. _They tried it before, and the keyboard blew up, but it worked. _He tugged at that hope. "Even as a last resort, it can be done. Keyboards are replaceable."

"But this computer ain't!" said Cid. "That last time, my computer nearly blew up too, just so to warn ya. I blame Merlin here." He cocked his thumb at the blue wizard.

"It was not my fault!" fumed Merlin. "It was you and your haphazard typing!"

Sensing the prelude to a fight, Riku stood up and urged, "Guys! We have to work together. Sora taught me that. C'mon, he's counting on us to bring him back." _And destroy DarkGov. I don't care what Roxas thinks of DarkGov, he is not Sora._

_He is not Sora. _That mantra saved his life once.

His plea worked. Spurred by the memory of their mutual friend, Cid and Merlin nodded as one. From there, they worked together to conceptualize the Loony Wizard Special, Mark II.

At least, Cid and Merlin did.

What could Riku do? He had neither skill in programming nor wizardry. "We'll call you in as soon as we're done," Cid consoled him. "Mind you, projects like this a huge chunk of time. The first special took a whole day. This one's gonna take longer."

So the teen traversed the streets of Radiant Garden. Oh, how has it changed! "Not changed, restored," Aerith had told him. "This town looks just like its old self now."

The young woman spoke true. In place of a skeleton of a village (and a monster of a citadel before that) was a beauty of a picturesque postcard town, lined with shops and roofed homes. Clean grey cobblestone streets provided a nice contrast to the sky, no longer purple. Kairi would call it a storybook scene. Sora would call it awesome. Rufaus would call it kitsch.

Riku would call it a pity that he, Sora, and Kairi had not visited Radiant Garden earlier, like they had planned back when they first got their red gummi ship. Just the three of them ….

Since Cid had warned that the Loony Wizard Special, Mk. II will take at least a day (possibly more) it was best if Riku report back to Disney Castle first … after he visited the Market first, the teen decided. Riku bought some new accessories from Huey (Or was it Dewy? Which color corresponded to which triplet?), and a sea-salt ice cream stick from Scrooge, and whiled away some minutes. Seeing the old duck made him think of Scrooge's nephew. I _wonder how Donald's doing …. _

Donald was not doing too well right now.

Not that he was in any state of injury or anything. Far from it; he was in perfect health. He had hi-potions to thank for that. For the first time in his life, the feathered magician cursed the invention of potions and elixirs. His interrogator had used them to lengthen her "session." The wizard thought back to her hour with him, and shivered …

_SWAP! "OW!" WHACK! "OWWW!" SLAP! _

"_Talk." Her gaze seemed as merciless as an arctic sea._

"_I'm not talking, lady!"_

"_You will talk." SWISH! SMACK! Her weapon was a violet cat o' nine tales._

The lady would whap him silly, then heal him with her potions, then she would start all over again. That way, she could continue for as long as she liked. Until Donald cracked, or she got bored or busy with something else. Luckily, the second option occurred, and she had two Dusks escort Donald to a cell. The magician, thanks to a lifetime of enduring pranks at the hands of his nephews (one involved firecrackers), a stint in the royal navy before becoming a court magician, and other experiences, was not as traumatized as one would fear. Not right now. But the lady was right. Donald would crack eventually and talk, he feared.

_By her, or by these awful surroundings?_ This jail was the most dreary Donald had ever encountered. Blank, bare, endless rows of identical clear cells, blinded by fluorescent lightning, hard plastic walls instead of airy iron bars, there was nothing nice or atmospheric about these dungeons. Donald felt he would whither in his cell. It reminded him of an office building, of all places.

He heard faint footsteps, and the duck gulped. Then he listened more closely and realized it was not the lady's harsh tap-tap, but a soft paddling. It was a sound he associated with … "Goofy?"

"Hiya Donald!" the knight whispered. "Had to search the entire building to find ya!"

"Goofy …"

"Uh-huh?" The knight listened in more closely.

"What's Pete doing here?"

"Hey! Don't look a gift horse in d'mouth!" snorted the fat cat next to Goofy. "Yer sooooo ungrateful! If it weren't for me, d'Goof here would still be – MMF!"

The fatso was yammering too loud, so Goofy clamped his mouth shut and whispered, "Maleficent's the reason the fairies are gone; Pete told me so. DarkGov's got nothing to do with them."

"Really?" _That's good, mission accomplished, kinda. We know what happened to them now, if it's true._ But was it true? "How'd you know Pete told ya the truth?"

"I did tell him the truth!" Pete protested. "I showed him the mirror, even!"

Ignoring Pete, Donald continued, "How'd you get Pete here with you?"

"Simple. Pete here's my prisoner. See?" Goofy reassured.

"It wasn't a fair fight! Can't help it dat I'm outta practice!" Pete muttered under this breath. "Holdin' a castle is hard work!" He clenched and unclenched his manacled wrists. Recent months have made him fatter and scruffier than usual, Donald noted. Goofy and Pete must have met and fought at the Castle, and Goofy must have won. _Then what happened? _

"The Brink of Despair was swamped with Heartless and Nobodies when we arrived," Goofy confessed, answering his question. "My ship was long kaput. Then Pete suggested we join up with you, if it wasn't too late."

"_Your_ ship better be parked in a better place!" Pete butted in. "Oh! And you better treat me good! I was the one who had maps to Dark City and DarkGov HQ! I was the one who guided Goofy here under DarkGov's nose! I was th – MFF!" Goofy wisely shut Pete's big fat mouth again.

"My ship's at the Alley to Between!" Donald explained tersely. "Now get me outta here!"

They tried, to no avail. There was no way to break those walls open – the full impact of a killer whale and a tidal wave against them could not make them budge. There was no way to magick them open, either – Donald tried before. These walls were 100 magic-proof.

"Oh, I give up!" Pete finally huffed. "Goof, we gotta leave the duck behind."

Goofy protested, "Nuh-uh! We came for Donald, and we're not leavin' without 'im!"

Pete had no qualms with that. "Heh heh, fine by me! I'm going to the Alley in Between! Thanks for the ship, duck!" He sprinted away unexpectedly (his legs weren't manacled), running as fast as his fat legs could carry his fatter bulk. Soon, in the distance, duck and dog heard fast footsteps, a yell, a collision, and sounds of fighting. Stupid Pete just got himself caught, didn't he?

By Dusks, probably.

They were different from Organization XIII Dusks. Organization Ducks had open gaping mouths and forearms bounded by tight blue straps. These Dusks were the reverse. Their jaws, zipped and bound, could not open, but their hands were free, showing long, thin clawed fingers. They waved their hands dangerously, promising hurt with those fingers.

_So, Government Dusks follow a different dress code than Organization Dusks,_ Riku thought grimly. He took out his trusty short sword. _Who knew?_

"Uh – oh!" Yuffie quipped nearby. She took out her giant ninja star. Scrooge McDuck simply ran for dear life and cover.

Their dress code was different, but their attack patterns were largely the same: diverting movements, Reversal, the works. They also liked to use their hands to grab at opponents' weapons and try to fling them away. Sometimes it worked.

"Hey!" Yuffie cried as her star was taken away. Fortunately, she had extras. "Ha! Come and get it!"

The battle was long, but more annoying than difficult. Riku made sure to keep a tight grip on his sword the whole time through. No worries! It was only after the last Dusk was destroyed that Riku got worried. Why did Dusks come here? This could mean only one thing …

"What's wrong, lad?" Scrooge asked when he came back out, shivering and snow-covered. A fridge does not a good hiding-place make!

"The computer," the silver-haired teen fretted. "Demyx hacked it. I mean, he hacked it before. Right now, Cid and Merlin are trying to un-hack it. They were alone…"

"Cid and Merlin working together?" The ninja giggled. "Get outta town!"

"Didn't they work before? During the episode with Sark and the MCP?" Riku took out a potion and chugged it down. _The Dusks were just a distraction to keep us busy! There's probably a Government member inside Ansem's study already right now! _ He dashed off at once. "Yuffie, tell Leon! Cid and Merlin are in danger!"

No they weren't. On the plus side, the Loony Wizard Special, Mk. II was finished. "Hey ... you got back just in time," greeted Cid groggily. "We were about to call you, yeah …"

"Really? It's done?" Riku felt relieved and stupid. _They weren't in danger? What was up with the Dusks?_ "So soon?" Now he felt puzzled. _But it's only been an hour. They said it was going to be a day, at least._

"Yes … in the time we predicted," murmured an equally groggy Merlin. "Twenty … twenty four hours. Trust us, we counted them." Indeed, it seemed true. Cid and Merlin certainly looked like they stayed up for twenty four arduous hours. Merlin's beard was disheveled and uncombed, like a wild white whirlwind. Cid had a dull look on his face and bags under his eyes.

Proof of their work: on the desk was the nearly completed Loony Wizard Special, Mk. II. One could tell that hours and hours of careful coding and hard work went into it. "Thank you … Cid, Merlin," said Riku. He gingerly picked up the enchanted, enhanced disc and inserted it into the computer. "Are you sure it's been a day?"

"Of course," observed Merlin. "How it can be not?"

"But it's only been an hour. It's true. Go outside and ask anyone what day it is."

"Nope. Been exactly twenty-four hours since we got crackin'. No more jokes, kid … now we're gonna rest," said Cid. He and Merlin went to lullaby-land that instant; so much for telling them about the Dusks.

The Dusks! He hoped Yuffie told Leon by now. If the Dusks weren't here to attack Cid and Merlin (How could they? Who else would know of their project?), why did they come? Was it a feint? To draw Riku away from something else? _What in Radiant Garden would the Nobodies want? They already have Roxas._ Thoughts of Dusks turned into thoughts of Dark City Government, as Riku watched the Loony Wizard Special, Mk. II load on the computer.

_Is a DarkGov member snooping around Radiant Garden right now?_

This one had wavy sepia hair that fell to her shoulders and a tattoo of vertical lines on her right cheek. Tall and gorgeous, she wore her robe like a gown. Her face was beautiful, but one minute with her and you knew she did not deserve her beauty; she was so cold. But her eyes were the most terrible thing. Ice-blue in color, they saw Donald, and they hated. The duck kept his cool, however.

"Are you responsible for the appearance of that lackey of Maleficent?" she asked.

"I'm not telling you anything!" he told her. He wondered what happened to Pete.

She shook her head most faintly. "You will. Cooperate with me and you won't have to."

"Have to what?" Suffer?He could see it now; does she want him to willingly spill the beans on what Disney Castle knows and plans in exchange for less lashes? Fat chance! He'd rather work with Pete! "Over my dead body!" Donald spat. And spat for real, on the cell wall facing the lady.

The female DarkGov member looked upon her prisoner in distaste. "That stunt of yours was in bad taste. You'll learn to behave properly in front of your betters." Her grip on her weapon tightened.

In retaliation, Donald stuck out his tongue: "Phhhhppppttttfffff!" He didn't know why – that act would just earn him even more lashes, wouldn't it? – but he felt triumphant. Soon, he will be triumphant. _How's that for bad taste, lady? _"Whatever you're planning, you won't get a word out of me!"

"I won't," said the lady. She pointed behind her, her arm as straight as a fishing rod. "They will." Then Donald saw the Nobodies under her command. _Uh-oh, she didn't bring Dusks._

They looked nothing like their mistress; huge, lumbering, potbellied beasts, they wore spiked whips around their shoulders and loose hoods over their heads. _They look like executioners_, the duck thought grimly. _All they need is a guillotine._ No time for careful dialogue - time for desperate measures! The magician bluffed, "If you're so smart, do your job yourself!"

She smiled. "We can try that during the third session, if there is one."

"What, first time around broke you down?" Donald retorted. "I bet you're past your prime, you old … you old widow!" .

That taunt was on purpose; years living with Daisy had taught Donald that females of all stripes hated being called old. Mention of her age roused the lady's ire, judging from her fading smile. At least he provoked her to distraction. That too was on purpose. "What did you say?" she inquired almost politely.

"I said you're an old widow!" _Widow? I meant to say wrinkled old hag. Whoa, I didn't mean to upset her that much. _

"Am I a widow? Do I look like a widow?"

"Are you?" That question just slipped out of his beak. "Did the Heartless take him?"

"No, a stupid loud-mouthed bore just like you." Quick as two flashes, she teleported him out of his cell, to his secret delight. _Yeah, the plan worked! I'm out!_ "My lord husband will deal with you first," she seethed, clutching Donald's right arm with one hand, raising her cat o' nine tails with the other. _Uh-oh._

The nearest Nobody lumbered toward the trapped duck. **_My lady, let us wait until we are in the interrogation chamber._**

"Oh no you don't!" yelled Donald. That would ruin everything! Besides, he was on a roll! "C'mon lady, I dare ya! I dare you to hit me! C'mon, c'mon!"

The lady turned to face him, a sour retort on her lips – and was whacked in the head by an invisible shield. **_GOOOONG!_** Hurray for Knocksmash! Still invisible, Goofy ran forth to rescue his friend. That was the plan all along – Donald would provoke the lady into freeing him, then Goofy - an invisibility spell having been cast on him - would catch her unawares!

Hopefully; they didn't expect so many Nobodies to deal with.

Because the DarkGov member was clutching Donald like a trout clutching a lure, Donald braced himself for some collateral damage. Then he remembered something and yelled, "Goofy, watch out! The whip's poisoned!"

The lady demonstrated by lashing Donald in the beak. "Donald!" Goofy yelped.

There was a crash and a bump – Goofy had slammed his shield onto the lady's forearm - and Donald was loosed. But when he hit the floor, he did not get up. How could he? He was poisoned, and he had no magic to cure himself. "Donald!" he heard Goofy cry again. He felt woozy, seasick, strange …

"This is strange," said Leon. Riku had to agree.

The Dusks weren't after Cid or Merlin at all. They were after … some objects excavated from the fallen citadel formerly known as Hallow Bastion. The place was nearly cleared, its findings catalogued.

"They weren't after important stuff, either," observed Yuffie. "You'd think they'd go after all that lab equipment we found." The machines that created all those artificial Heartless, for example. No one would encounter Soldiers or Air Pirates again.

"What did they go after?" asked Riku.

"This," Leon said, and reached into his pocket, and gave Riku a list. It revealed itself to be the most boring list in existence; a list of everything the Hallow Bastion Restoration Committee found and excavated from the fallen citadel before Maleficent took it over (again). Machines, computers, furniture, miscellaneous items ….

One item on the list had a checkmark next to it.

"Was this one of the stolen objects?" Riku asked Leon; the elder man nodded. The object in question was a picture frame, made of wood. _A picture frame?_ Riku tried to wrap his head around it, failed._ What does DarkGov want with a lousy picture frame? _

"Slippery, aren't they?" said Yuffie, reading over his shoulder. "Maybe all this was just a diversion to throw us off. Or to scare us! You know, make us go around in circles."

"That could be it," said Scrooge, eavesdropping. "But that would be a wasteful venture!"

"Scrooge's right. There has to be a reason for these objects being stolen," said Riku. An important reason … but what? What was the significance of a picture frame, a pocket watch, a wrinkled postcard, a lab journal, a photo album, and a camera?_ Next thing you know, they're stealing candy. Yuffie's right … this is slippery._

The lady was as slippery as a fish, but she fought like a poisonous water snake.

Her weapon flashed here and there like cobra tongues, promising venom with a touch. Goofy took care to stay far, far away from its reach after his initial attack. But that meant he could not reach his friend. Meanwhile, Donald remained slumped on the floor, woozy and weak, health rapidly diminishing.

_Goofy's not doing too well_, thought Donald dully. _If only he hadn't cried out before. _Then again, being invisible didn't prevent the Chameleon Heartless from being trashed by Sora and co. back in Deep Jungle. How could it be different here?

One of the large Nobodies lashed its whip against Goofy's shield. Goofy knocked it back, making it collide with a second Nobody. He was having more luck with the lady's underlings, at least. They were better bullies than fighters. Then something totally unexpected happened; the lady went over to Donald and gave him a hi-potion, healing him. "Huh?" wondered Goofy. Meanwhile, the Nobodies stopped fighting.

"What?" went Donald. He sensed something fishy.

Sure enough, the lady hoisted him high like a fisherman displaying his catch. "Surrender and he will remain healthy and unhurt," the lady told Goofy. "Fight and I will inject him with a poison that is immediately fatal and has no antidote."

"Fight, Goofy!" Donald sputtered. "She's bluffing!"

"I'm not bluffing."

"Yes you are! What kinda poison doesn't come with an antidote?" he sneered.

"One that works too fast to administer an antidote in time," she said factually.

"Um … oh." Donald giggled nervously; he knew that! Then he got an idea (A pity he didn't think of it before, back when he was dizzy from the poison.); he bit the lady in the forearm. She shrieked, but didn't let go. But she was distracted! Donald pantomimed madly to Goofy.

Goofy understood, and Donald got his magic back: hurray for MP Gift! "THUNDER!" cried the duck triumphantly.

The lady screamed as she was fried. _Stupid woman! Still she won't let go!_ Instead she lashed him across the face. Luckily, Donald cast Curaga before the dizziness set back in. Meanwhile, the large Nobodies resumed fighting Goofy.

"FIRE! BLIZZARD!" Donald sputtered over and over. "THUNDER! Let go of my arm, you stupid widow! INVISIBLITY!" _Whoosh!_ He narrowly escaped a lash from her lord husband. Were he not invisible, it would have struck true, and venomously.

In the chaotic melee, Goofy threw his shield like a Frisbee, intending to hit the woman – BONK! It struck Donald on the head instead.

Next thing Donald knew, everything was dark and cold and wetness was dripping all over his face. _Am I dead? I feel so cold. Is this wetness blood?_ "Are you okay, Donald?" came the Goof's nearby voice. Gradually, the duck's eyesight lightened and cleared, and he realized he was alive; he was fine, just weak and woozy. His face was wet because Goofy just splashed his face with an elixir.

"Wugh … what happened?"

"We escaped," said Goofy. "I, um … I beat her, a-hyuck!"

_That sounds iffy. Oh well, I'm too glad to ask now. I'm so glad, I feel like a million munny!_ "Where's Pete?"

"Gone," Goofy acknowledged sadly.

"Where are we?"

"Still in DarkGov HQ."

"What?" Oh no, were they captured? Then Donald noticed three strange things. First, he couldn't see Goofy, or his hands; they were still invisible. Second, their surroundings sure were cold and cramped! What was this place, an air vent? So it was!

"What should we do next, Donald?" inquired Goofy.

"Um …" Escape_! Leave! Go to the Alley in Between!_ But Donald heard faint distant voices, and curiously overcame caution; he had a duty to Disney Castle – or maybe it was the poison influencing his head. He motioned Goofy to follow, and the two crawled silently through some ducts until they reached a vent opening. They peered below.

"You lost them? How could you lose your own prisoners, Lady Katherine?"

"With all due respect, Mayor, I was unconscious. And furthermore -"

"Furthermore you are a weak fighter, we know, women usually are. I understand - whoa, watch where you put that whip! It's true! There were statistics in my world!"

The first voice sounded like W. S. Johnson, and the second was definitely the lady's. Lady Katherine, her name was? Donald peered in closer, carefully and silently. It would kill him to be captured a second time. It like delight him to escape literally above the vile woman's nose. "If it gladdens you, the new prisoner has been very talkative," Lady Katherine was saying.

"You mean that fat lackey?"

"Yes." Lady Katherine's voice gained a business-like tone. "From him, we know this: Maleficent went to her homeworld in order to invoke the demise of Princess Aurora. She intends to return as soon as she deals with Aurora's fiancé, Prince Philip, as well. In the meantime, she left the Castle that Never Was in Pete's keeping."

W. S. sucked in his incisors. "Now that Pete is caught … great! Roxas' gonna love this! I love this! Finally, we have some good news for our meeting!" Above, Donald and Goofy shuddered. Donald could not believe it. _It's true. Everything Pete told us was true … wait, a meeting? _

"I suppose that means you plan our next meeting will be soon?"

"Yeah, send for everyone, including Roxas. I hate delays."

With that, Lady Katherine left the room. Only now did Donald notice the room below was not the same room as where he had spied Crypus talking to W. S. earlier. This room was larger, lighter-colored (still grey), wooden-floored, and fitted with a rectangular table and eight swivel chairs. It looked like a business meeting room, of all places. _Again with the office space similes …_

Goofy, anxious to find an escape, nudged his friend, but Donald remained fixed in place. They've come too far to leave now (Besides, who would look for them up here? Who could _look_ at them? They were invisible!)! Besides they were kinda trapped. Oh well. _Our mission continues!_ Now that they know what Maleficent is up too, let them now learn what Dark City Government is up to!

"What is Dark City Government up to?" lamented Riku. "Making a memorial to Organization XIII?"

The six missing objects turned out to have belonged to Ansem's six apprentices – Xehanort, Briag, Dilan, Even, Elaeus, Inzeno. "Weird. Told ya it was a feint," said Yuffie. "Cheer up! At least you got what you came for."

"Right … you're absolutely right." Strangely enough, what Yuffie said was true. Dusks and time distortions aside, Riku's mission had been most uneventful; everything went off as planned. He hoped Kairi's mission was just as peaceful.

Meanwhile, Cid and Merlin still haven't figured out the cause of their twenty four hours / one hour mystery (It didn't help that they were still asleep!).


	27. Chapter 25

Seven seats held seven members.

Six were arranged in opposite rows; Mayor Johnson lounged in the seventh as though he wasn't currently holding a formal meeting. _Since he's the boss of this outfit_, Donald thought, _I guess he doesn't have to worry about personal conduct and all that stuff_. W. S. seemed to be more laid-back than Xemnas, management-wise. Was he as powerful as Xemnas? Was the Government as powerful as the Organization?

Seven seats held seven Nobodies. The eighth stood in a far-off corner, watching. Why didn't he take his seat? There was one for him, but he had declined. It was obvious which one he was; he wore a black raincoat while the others wore grey wizard robes. _Roxas_, thought Donald bleakly. _He would work with them? _

Meanwhile, Goofy thought_, Gee … that's a lot of hoods!_

They all had their hoods up, for some reason. Dress code? Thus Roxas and W. S. were the only ones Donald recognized, from posture. Clearing his throat, the mayor began the meeting: "Madame Brighton … was your mission to Hallow Bastion successful?"

"Better than expected," murmured a soft, feminine voice in the center of the row to W. S.' left. "The wizard and engineer retrieved the data from the hacked computer in one hour real time, lengthened to twenty-four hours distorted time."

"An hour … did that lackey of DiZ interfere?"

The soft-voiced female hesitated and continued, "Yes. I sent a squadron of Dusks as a distraction. Fortunately, even now, not even he suspects our doing in the time distortion or their resulting data retrieval."

"Good, when will _we_ be able to retrieve the data from _them_?"

The female glanced at an adjacent member and replied, "I have already made arrangements with Doctor Thorson. He will present the data first thing to you tomorrow." The adjacent member - Crypus, Donald realized - nodded in agreement.

"Hmm … good, fair, double-team, huh? So, you're a team player now, Doctor Thorson, was your mission to Disney Castle successful?"

"Against my reservations, yes," murmured the man next to Madame Brighton. "Instead of stealing the notes, I made copies. Not what you requested, but I deemed my act to safeguard the Government more efficiently."

"Better! Wait, _copy_?" W. S. sputtered, irate. "Why not take the real thing?"

Crypus was prepared: "First, to steal the original would rouse suspicion -"

"Disney Castle is suspicious of the Government already," responded Roxas from his corner. "You made sure of that at Gladstone."

"_Second_," continued Crypus tersely, "to steal the original would be nonetheless useless. King Mickey has memorized the notes in their entirety. How can I deprive him of knowledge of which he already knows?"

Madame Brighton came to his rescue: "Suspicious or not, wouldn't it be best for us to disguise all our dealings in the World of Light, however minor?"

Crypus visibly relaxed. Roxas remained still. Donald and Goofy exchanged worried looks: _notes from Yen Sid and DiZ?_ W. S. concluded, "Couldn't agree more, Madame. Lady Katherine, how is the interrogation of the prisoner going?"

"He is exhausted, but helpful," proclaimed a member opposite Thorson; her voice revealed her as the cruel lady from earlier. She repeated what she said earlier: "From him we know this: Maleficent went to her homeworld in order to invoke the demise of Princess Aurora. She intends to return as soon as she deals with Aurora's fiancé, Prince Philip, as well. In the meantime, she left the Castle that Never Was in Pete's keeping." Now she added, "With Pete captured, defenses at the Castle are at an all-time low. The minions fight among themselves, and Heartless run amok, no longer controlled. Now is a perfect time to take the Castle."

"Good, we need it," said the mayor. He directed beady brown eyes at Roxas. "Key of Destiny, I want you to have the honor to lead -"

"What about the duck?" Roxas demanded.

"What duck?"

"Donald Duck. The prisoner you mentioned is Pete, not him. I can tell from Talia's report. What happened to him?"

"He's still in my custody," answered Lady Katherine, first name revealed to be Talia. "I just haven't interrogated him yet."

Above, Donald held back the urge to gloat. _Ha ha! Now you're covering your butt by lying, you sourpuss_, he thought. _I've already out of your custody! Interrogation? Ha! You got jack outta me! _Meanwhile,W. S. Johnson glanced strangely at Talia Katherine before continuing, "As I was saying, I want you to have the honor to lead the capture of the Castle that Never Was."

"Lead? You mean do the whole thing," said Roxas, shaking his head.

A new member spoke up: "You're the only one with the Keyblade. You're the only one who knows the Castle inside and out." His voice betrayed his youth. _He must be not much older than Roxas_, Donald wondered, _probably even the same age._ No wonder Organization XIII didn't mind having a fourteen to fifteen year old in their midst (Haven't you wondered about that at one point?); it wasn't the only one.

"Who says you're going at it alone? Sir Charles is going with you. Don't get killed while you take the Castle," snorted W. S., waving his hand. "That's not part of the plan. What _is_ part of the plan is you being at the Proof of Existence when we tell you. Clear the city, take the Castle, be at the Proof, got it?"

"Memorized," said Roxas. "You won't have to worry about the Castle that Never Was. Not with me." He remained standing, demonstrating Organization XIII's martial superiority to Dark City Government.

"Speaking of castles, how is your reverse-engineering on Castle Oblivion going?" W. S. asked next. He looked pointedly at Crypus and the soft-spoken female.

The soft-spoken female answered for Crypus, "The castle itself has yielded enough information for us to know how to remodel the Castle that Never Was into a new Castle Oblivion. Once the former is taken, it is only a matter of time and manpower."

Above, Donald rubbed his beak, puzzled. _Castle Oblivion? What does that have to do with anything?_ It occurred to him that they haven't mentioned Kingdom Hearts at all. _Shouldn't that be more important?_

"Do not remind us to not make a new Castle Oblivion. We know that to be not our goal," added Crypus wearily. "The retrieved notes having been read, we hope to expand and improve on the powers of Castle Oblivion from illusion to actual recreation." He folded his arms. "Or in our case, resurrection."

"You mean setting the stage for resurrection," quipped Talia, glancing at the ceiling.

W. S. was anxious to take center stage again. He turned beady brown eyes to a new hooded figure. "Director Philip, how is the situation in the Underworld?"

"Better than the Castle that Never Was, actually," said the previously unknown member. He had a deep voice, and he was the tallest head in the room. "Hades is gone. Missing. We don't know why or how, but the Underworld is ungoverned as of now. The demons enjoy their impromptu vacation, and the souls lie inert, as always."

Above, Donald and Goofy jerked back in shock. They know why Hades was gone; it was their doing. _Last time, in the Underworld, Hades was knocked into that pit …_

"They lie inert. Can they be identified?" inquired W. S. He seemed annoyed.

"No. But hopefully …" The man's tone was more doubtful than hopeful

"They will be," added the young-sounding member from before. "Next time. We just need to hire a Nobody who can identify the dead."

"They better be," muttered W. S. darkly. Then he seemed cheerful again. "Master Richguard, Director Philip, I leave the Underworld and some hiring issues to you. Next issue! Key of Destiny, how is Kingdom Hearts coming along?" Seven grey hoods turned to the sole black hood.

Roxas's eventual answer was most unsettling. "Xemnas would be proud."

"Not an exaggeration," added a new voice. Based on elimination, he must be Sir Charles; he sure had a husky voice. "Progress is amazing. Explosion almost never happened. Keyblade is that powerful."

"The streets are less chaotic now," observed the deeper-voiced man from before. Sir Charles nodded.

Above, Donald nodded too. He remembered the fairies' words: _Countless Heartless roam the streets. There must be billions of them! It's a war zone: too dangerous!_ But that was before Roxas returned. Before, Donald and Goofy would never have made survived the streets. All because of Roxas …

Lady Katherine glanced at the ceiling again. "Let's end this meeting," she urged.

"Need to return to Pete?" Crypus asked. Softly taunted, rather.

"We've covered the main points," Talia explained, weary-sounding. "Progress is fine, despite expected snags. And we need to get back to our tasks." Above, Donald shook his head. She sure was impatient to get back to torturing Pete, wasn't she?

"But we haven't covered unrelated matters!" W. S. reminded. He rubbed his hands as though he loved it when a plan came together. "Re-elections are coming up. I expect Kingdom Hearts fully done before that happens. The castle and the souls too! I fully intend to be re-elected!"

"You will," assured Madame Brighton.

W. S. tossed her compliment aside. "I know, I know, the polls told me so. I'm glad to say that ever since we built our campaign around our resurrection plan, our approval rating has gone up, up, up!"

"To you, that is good," muttered Brighton's colleague. "How is the populace now?"

"Polls are mimicking the real thing. We don't have to defend ourselves anymore. The Key of Destiny does that for us." W. S. grinned like a Tammany tiger. "No offense."

"None taken," sighed Roxas. Like Talia, he seemed keen to get back to work. To killing Heartless, like Sora did of old.

"We discussed present problems. What of future?" inquired Sir Charles.

"Future opposition? You mean Disney Castle," said Roxas.

Mayor Johnson began to speak, but Lady Katherine interrupted, "Problems that crop up in the future shall be dealt with then. This meeting is at an end." To demonstrate, she stood up and walked out, but not before looking up at the ceiling one last time. Roxas shrugged and followed her example. Crypus also stood up, but stopped. Evidently the mayor had not planned for this to occur, judging from his brief expression of rage.

But then he shrugged and walked out. Crypus teleported out. One by one, other members walked or teleported away, until the room became empty. Donald and Goofy let out audible sighs of relief; they were holding their breaths and didn't even know it.

"I think they're trying to bring back Organization XIII using Castle Oblivion!" gasped Goofy.

"Oh, if only we remembered that place better!" lamented Donald.

* * *

In the beginning, there was Castle Oblivion. 

It used to be the test-bed for Organization XIII's then latest research: bringing memories to life. By recreating scenes, events, people, and whatever objects they wished from memories of their former selves, the Organization hoped to progress to recreating the hearts of their former selves, and be restored.

It was Luxord's idea to use cards as a means to store and retrieve memories.

It unearthed many unexpected discoveries and inventions. For example, Vexen discovered a process to create (short-lived) clones of objects and even people from memories. Say, a replica of Riku, generated from Riku's own memories (and miscellaneous data).

It was a failure.

The recreated events, scenes and people, while seemingly real to the senses, never truly came to life; they remained illusions. In addition, they could not exist beyond the rooms in which they spawned. What was the point of creating a heart, if it were ultimately illusionary? And could not exist beyond a certain perimeter?

Failure or not, it was still Organization property. It shouldn't just go to ruin.

Marluxia was appointed its keeper – a perfect way to keep the rebellious neophyte out of the way. Vexen, his failed experiments one too many in Xemnas' eyes, remained in Castle Oblivion "to continue his research on replicas" instead of reporting to the Castle that Never Was – an apt excuse to postpone explaining his recent failures. Larxene and Axel volunteered to accompany Marluxia; supposedly to assist him, in reality to aid him in his takeover bid (Larxene) or catch him in it (Axel).

Why were Lexaeus and Zexion there, then? Roxas could not remember. All he remembered of Castle Oblivion came from his friend. Axel told him nothing of Namine, he recalled. That was back when he was still covering his butt in front of the Superior, presenting himself as the perfect underling in front of Xemnas …

Xemnas … he was impatient, wasn't he? The moment he found and drafted Roxas into Organization XIII, he pulled the plug on Castle Oblivion. Why pour resources and time into a project that wasn't reaching its intended goal (despite numerous miscellaneous discoveries) when a quicker, surer way to restore hearts just revealed itself? Such a pity; Castle Oblivion held such potential. It showed that each person's heart could not be copied, but that was it. It could have been put to other uses (besides trapping a Keyblade master). It was boxed before its time, that was all …

"Wait. Replicas?"

"Hmm?" Roxas brought his hood down. The Nobody next to him did the same.

The DarkGov member next to him – Hunter, his name was? – had some questions for him, following the meeting and Roxa's talk about Castle Oblivion. "Why not replicas? Easier, and no one will know the difference."

"They'd be false in every way and won't last beyond a certain time limit."

"Only because making replicas was new."

Roxas shook his head. "The Mayor wants resurrection, not replication."

"No. He wants re-election." Despite his taciturn mode of talking, Sir Hunter Charles was no dullard. Losing his heart seemed to have altered his speech, but that was all.

"Huh. I wonder who he's running against," Roxas smiled. It must be a Retainer Nobody on par with Xemnas, if Mayor Johnson seeks to use Xemnas' memory to oppose him.

"Don't know. But now that I know about Castle Oblivion, back to work." Hunter readied his weapons – his bare hands. He was one of few Retainer Nobodies who did not have a weapon, nor required one. In his former life, he was a skilled tracker, a brave ranger, who could kill wolves with his bare hands. Not even the Heartless could take that away.

"Not yet." Roxas did not summon Oathkeeper, nor Oblivion. "Explain to me about the Underworld. I don't get it." Suddenly Roxas recalled words he did not remember hearing: _An empty vessel whose heart has been stolen away... a spirit that goes on even as its body fades from existence …_

Nobodies lack hearts, but in a sense, they lack bodies too. Their original bodies, at least. Their current bodies were more memory than matter, dust that used to be flesh held in their current configuration by sheer willpower. _Now I do._ "So … Crypus and Downey will restore the bodies, Orsen and Adel the souls."

"Else, would be semi-creation, not resurrection," grunted Hunter.

"Right. Back to work." Roxas unleashed his Keyblades, and the two got back to hunting Heartless.

* * *

Here was the plan, it seemed, as Donald explained to Goofy: 

By retaking the Castle that Never Was and converting it into a new, improved Castle Oblivion, the Government hoped to configure it into some resurrection-ground for Nobodies. Getting the proper souls from the Underworld seemed to be integral to the resurrection-ritual. As was completing Kingdom Hearts. "I wonder why?"

"It could be a power source," suggested Goofy.

"Or an offering to Xemnas," muttered Donald darkly. "Well, at least we know what they're doing, just not _exactly _what." And with that, counterattacks presented themselves: sabotaging Crypus and his colleague in their research, fighting Orsen and Richguard in the Underworld, destroying the Castle that Never Was (if it comes to that), exploding Kingdom Hearts again, _et cetera_. Of course, they have to escape first. "We'll have to leave Pete behind."

"Aw … do we have to?"

"Goofy, you don't know that lady like I do. She's horrible!" Pete leaving them was a horrible betrayal, anyway. But not as horrible as re-meeting Lady Katherine.

"She was. She was too easy, now that I think of it." Goofy seemed worried.

"Really?"

"Well, Demyx was hard, and he was easier to fight than Xaldin, or Xigbar, or the other Organization members. And the lady was easier than Demyx." Goofy rubbed his scout, now worried; Retainers were supposed to be _hard!_ "When I whacked her that last time, she fell down, just like that. Her Nobodies vanished, and I picked you up and skedaddled out of there."

Didn't that sound fishy?

Not so to Donald, who had an explanation why. "Aw … she wasn't a fighter, just a bully! Government members probably aren't trained to fight." Organization XIII probably recruited only hard-to-fight Nobodies. "Let's go, Goofy."

And so they escaped.

Led by Goofy, Donald crawled through endless air ducts until they reached an empty supply closet. Never was the duck so glad as he came out into open air. He also noted that his spell had expired already. "I know this place. Pete and I passed through here," realized his friend. "C'mon, I know the way out now." Then Goofy grew fearful. "That was too easy, Donald. Just like the lady."

"You're worrying too much." So they didn't meet any enemies back there. Big deal! Did Goofy honestly expect to meet Nobodies crawling in air vents? "Here, I'll cast Invisibility again." _Poof!_ Now only they could see each other.

"Donald, you smell something?"

"No."

"I think I smell something." Goofy sniffed his armpits. "I think it's me."

_Those vents are dusty. It's just sweat, dust and muck you got on yourself when you came here_, thought Donald. He himself smelled nothing. _Do Nobodies smell of nothing?_ "We'll worry about that later."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm thinking too much." But as Goofy guided him through hallow halls and oblivious Dusks, and let him through a nondescript door to some underground garage, Donald noticed that something was amiss.

With each ten paces, Goofy grew more … weak. Was he tired? Cramped? _It must be from being cooped up in the vents. Goofy has pins-and-needles. That must be it._ But he had been crawling through cramped spaces too, and he felt fine and strong. Donald dared not ask what was the matter, for fear of being overheard.

"Ooooh…!" Goofy moaned when they reached a nondescript door that promised exit (**UNDERGROUND COMPLEX**, it read). He rubbed his aching back. "Donald, I'm tingly."

"It's just a cramp." _Yep, pins-and-needles._

Goofy looked at his friend through bewildered, bleary eyes. "Donald, y'think we're being followed?"

"No, why?"

"'Cause I smell bad."

"Aw … you just need to stretch. You can do that when we're outside."

"Okay."

But bad smell or not, Goofy's new affliction was nothing to sniff at. The more he moved, the more he struggled. When he walked, he strained. The underground garage's stark lightning seemed to hurt his eyes. When he blinked, it seemed to hurt more. He shivered sometimes. Many times he stopped and panted, until Donald grew nervous. If it comes to that … the duck wasn't big enough to support the weight of his friend … "Goofy, what's the matter?"

"I feel -" Goofy didn't finish. He fell down on the spot. Asleep? Too weak? It was as though the knight was injected with a huge dose of sleeping serum. Or poison.

"You don't know this … but you never left my custody."

Donald spun around. Like a nightmare, there stood the dark-haired woman, flanked by two lumbering servants, hands on hips, one hand clutching a coiled purple scourge. When she smiled, it as though a rattlesnake opened its mouth and revealed its fangs.

_Rattlesnake!_ Donald remembered biology lessons, and he knew the truth.

How does a rattlesnake hunt its prey? By biting, letting go … and following the scent of the poison to its victim, gradually weakened by the poison until unable to move. _Dogs have better a better sense of smell than ducks_, the duck remembered grimly. Guess Goofy was right about the bad smell. Was he poisoned during the fight? The lady falling during the fight – that was a feint! She was looking up at them throughout the meeting, too …

"Fortunately for your friend, the neurotoxin has an antidote," the woman soothed. "However, I cannot take care of those not under my custody."

"I don't want your antidote, you old widow!" Donald madly sputtered. But Goofy was in trouble. And Donald had no antidote on his person, no remedy, nothing. The duck had some hard choices before him. Flee and leave Goofy behind? Surrender? Fight?

The larger Nobodies stepped closer …

* * *

_Such a luxurious coat. It was ermine, wasn't it? It was white and fluffy, so he gave a gasp of admiral (he couldn't help it) and reached out to touch and compliment it, to ask where she got it, to make good conversation …_

"_Whoa!" His grandmother shrank away in revulsion. "What, were you raised in a slum? Don't touch my coat!"_

_Bewildered, Rufaus stammered, "I … I just wanted to say … I like your coat."_

"_Well don't!" Noxanna spat. For real. Saliva hit his cheek. "I won't have … have vagrants like you touching my coat. If you want to touch it so badly, buy one of your own!" _

_That was their first ever meeting._

"I apologize on account of my lateness."

Rufaus raised his head. He had been trying to nap. "It's okay. I know you're busy."

"I was. I had two impromptu meetings and one formal one." Crypus looked around his surroundings, having freshly teleported here. "You waited the whole day?"

"Yeah." Rufaus had waited some hours in a dark and dreary backroom. At night, it seemed almost haunted. _It shouldn't be_, thought Rufaus. _It's part of the library. _He had to sneak back here, to this off-limit and neglected area, when closing hours came. He was surprised he wasn't caught. "I never went back to the apartment," he revealed.

Crypus nodded, approving. "The better to disappear. The authorities thinks you to be missing, I hope?"

"They have more important issues to deal with than me, and we have more important issues than them," Rufaus sighed. Why focus on a missing couple when there were more recent, more urgent, and more solvable cases at large? Why find a guardian for an orphan who had relatives on both sides of the family? "Right now we're supposed to be meeting for the first time, and I get to spy on you. How does that happen_?" What's my alibi? What's yours?_

"Correct, we need to contrive circumstances." Crypus picked up a dusty hardcover volume and flipped through its pages. He glanced a weary red eye at Rufaus. "Suggestions?"

Start with original context. "Weren't you going to tell me about Dad?"

"I was."

"Okay … let's say you do. Was telling me about Dark City Government and Roxas part of that?" _Get him to talk about DarkGov and Roxas when you meet him again_, King Mickey had urged.

"That was not."

"Oh." But of course. Smart people know better than to mix work and personal life, and Crypus seemed to be one of them. "What then?"

"I was to bequeath to you 800,000 munny, left behind by Jasper. I was to supply you everything required to support yourself independently until adulthood, including a new identity if necessary." _Wish you had an old man to do that sort of stuff for you, eh? _His Other would have quipped.

"800,000?" So that was the terms of compensation. Wonderful, but where did it come from? "Dad made only a modest living. Mom too." _Grandma and Uncle Septimus seized everything. _But earnings from editorial cartoons and _Acheron High_, combined with the salary of a public librarian, made for a fair living.

"Well, he made a killing as a Nobody. Literally. He was very good at his profession."

"……" That explained a lot about what happened that Friday.

Crypus shrugged, as though assassination and bounty-hunting was no heart-jerking matter. "Indeed, I was to tell you about your his career in detail."

"……" So that was the deal with Dad. Horrible, but what did he expect? Rufaus regained his voice and said, "This is the part where I offer to become your lackey, right?" _And as part of my job description, I learn about DarkGov and Roxas. _

Crypus shut the tome. "And I accept it, without further thought? We need something more convincing and realistic."

"Fine." Realism must come into play, and the idea of a smart person like Crypus accepting the help of strangers was as unrealistic as a flying elephant. Rufaus thought about terms of compensation. "How about this? Dad didn't leave behind 800,000 munny. Instead he left a will … it said you were to take me in."

Crypus cocked his head. "A last testament?"

"He made a will, in case he died on the job." Rufaus wonder how Crypus would fit into this backstory. That could come later. "You make the best of it by making me your lackey as well as your ward."

Crypus wondered. In this dimness, when the darkness hid his eye color, Rufaus resembled his father the most. Look at him, sitting so still; Jasper sat the same way too, sometimes. _I think Jasper liked him, even as a Nobody._ "And Jasper named me your ward because he and I were friends," he finished.

"Very funny?"

"Then … because I was his latest employer." _Though the former was more true. _He'd draft that fake will later, for Rufaus to show the mouse. "Now that we have completed the backstory, we may pursue present matters."

Rufaus stirred and sat up. _Present matters? What about DarkGov and Roxas? _

Crypus didn't relent. "What is Disney Castle doing currently?"

It took a moment for Rufaus to remember the game plan. What game plan? "They never told me," he realized with disgust. "They just shipped me here." _Maybe things at Disney Castle work on a need-to-know basis._

"They never told you because they never trusted you," theorized Crypus. "By contrast, I tell you this now: Riku is retrieving important data from a computer at Radiant Garden. Disney Castle thinks the information to be useful in combating us. We think the information to be useful in our research."

"Research for what?"

"For reverse-engineering a castle able to present illusions based on memories. We believe ourselves to be unsuccessful in our objective until that data is available to us." Crypus paused before adding, "Castle Oblivion."

Rufaus had no illusions about what Crypus wanted him to do with Riku's data. "More espionage?"

Crypus nodded. "You are a spy, your job involves espionage. Whatever information Disney Castle gets, Dark City Government also gets. Whatever Disney Castle plans, Dark City Government gets to know. That is your first and foremost task."

"Whatever Dark City Government plans, I get to know," Rufaus cut in. He stood up and stared firmly into the man's silhouette. "I should know _something_ about the Nobodies I'm working for." _And Roxas too. _He couldn't just go back to Disney Castle empty-handed ...

Crypus smiled. "Everything is on a need-to-know basis."

* * *

Wizard comes from the ancient term meaning "wise." In other words, Donald was wise enough to surrender. 

Here he moped, back in his plastic cell. _I hate that woman_, he grumbled silently and repeatedly. At least Goofy was doing better than him. Hopefully. Goofy was currently being treated for the neurotoxin. Hopefully.

They were so close. Another few yards and they could have been outside, in the clear, on their way home! How could bad luck creep up on them like that? On the other hand, Goofy could have died and he, nor anyone at Disney Castle, would ever have discovered why. Did that woman actually prevent a tragedy?

No, she started that tragedy in the first place. _I really hate that woman._

_Tap tap tap, _echoed the hallway. Donald instinctively fluffed up. "Have you considered my offer yet?" Lady Katherine asked nicely as she came into view.

_What offer?_ "No. Not a bit!"

"A pity." She tossed her dark brown head. "If you accept, it will benefit both of us."

_Ha!_ _Her words are poisoned water – don't drink!_ Donald told himself. Her element was poison, after all. If he heeded her words, he would only choke on them. "I'm not accepting anything!"

"Not even if it frees you and your friend?" Her voice lowered itself to a sweet murmur, a lure as tempting as a feathered fly. "Not even if it kills Maleficent?"

"No … nope, nuh-uh." Donald had to admit, the Maleficent dying bit was … tempting. Radiant Garden and Disney Castle had been trying to get rid of her for a decade now.

"Not even if it kills the Mayor's scheme?"

"No … wait, _what?_" Donald did a double-take; his eyes swelled and threatened to engulf his head.

Lady Katherine knelt down so that she and Donald were at eye-level. Hard were her eyes, and hard were her words, as soft as the sound of a fish swimming in a lake. "You know the details of his plan, you were at the meeting. Mayor Johnson is a fine man, but even the finest have their follies. This scheme is one of them."

He gaped at her queerly. "You …"

She eyed him suspiciously. "Mayor Johnson wants a heart like most everyone I know, but do you honestly think his plan will work? You're a fool." She didn't even give him a chance to retort to that. "It'll never work. It will ruin us all. But I digress. You care nothing for reputation or elections, do you?"

Donald didn't care about whether the plan would work, only about sabotaging it. "Nuh-uh."

"But you care for your friend. The gallant knight lives at my whim. I can have him executed at any time … unless you both work with me," she threatened.

Donald shook his head.

"I can have him whipped. I can have him pressed with rocks. I can have him flayed, until I have a fine black coat for my back," she menaced.

Donald shuddered, then shook his head. It was an empty threat.

"I can have him freed. I can have you both freed and shipped safely to Disney Castle, and Dark City Government will never cross paths with it again," she enticed.

Donald shook his head, slower than he liked. It was a tempting offer.

Threats didn't work, nor did bribes, and so she tried something different. "I haven't given him the antidote yet," she factually stated, and showed him a full blue syringe.

Donald shook violently, tossing feathers everywhere. "What? Aah! Give it to him!"

"You must work with me."

"Alright, alright!" Donald was out of control. "I don't care! We'll work with you!"

She did not go away. She was actually rather slow in putting that darn syringe away and taking out a yellow form and pen. _It's the same type of form Sora showed us_, Donald thought in fright as she teleported inside his cell. "Sign here. Thereafter, you won't be able to go back," she warned.

Each second of delay just made everything worse. _But Goofy was …_ "Gimme the pen!" He snatched it himself and before he knew it, it was done. Then it was gone, as was the woman. Teleported away, he realized.

Donald fumed. _She tricked me._ Goofy was probably fine all this time. The syringe was a trick, and he fell for it. _She bit me_, the duck thought, _her syringe_ _was her poisoned fang. **It** was the poisoned water._ He nearly choked on his tears.

She teleport here again, outside his cell. "Do you want to know?" she asked. Or sneered.

"Know what?" _How you tricked me? _

"The way to kill Maleficent. Did you not hear me earlier? Listen." She kneeled down so that she and the duck were at eye level. Donald looked at her red tattoo so that he did not have to meet her eyes. "You must go to Aurora's homeworld. There, Maleficent keeps a familiar named Diablo. What kind of beast he is, I do not know. You'll have to find that out on your own. You must kill it first, if you wish to kill her forever."

Donald widened his eyes. _Of course._ So that was why Maleficent returned from Hallow Bastion! So that was why Sora couldn't kill her off, that last time! Some magic-users have their life force contained in the body of their familiars. It is unethical (the strain on the animal is severe), but if the magic-user dies and the familiar survives, it is only a matter of time before its master returns. So, Maleficent was one of those rare magic-users_. Oh, if only we knew …_

"Do not kill the beast. Capture it and bring it to me. I will give you your next instructions then," Lady Katherine warned.

Donald was startled. _Next instructions?_ "Why?"

She smiled. "Everything is on a need-to-know basis."

* * *

Poor Donald and Goofy, trapped in the World that Never Was, trapped to do the bidding of a powerful DarkGov Nobody. Despite finding out what they sought, they failed in bringing that knowledge back to their king. Who, then, will tell Disney Castle about the Government's plans to resurrect the Organization? Who will tell Riku, Lady Daisy, Kairi, Queen Minnie, and King Mickey about what happened to Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather? 

Who, indeed?

"Rufaus?"

"Could it be?"

"I can't believe it."

"My…"

"Gosh, Rufaus!" The small king could hardly keep still, invigorated by much-needed info. "What happened to Aurora? She's not really dead, is he?"

"Not dead. Just asleep," Rufaus said. "A deep, enchanted sleep she won't wake up from until kissed by her true love. That is why the fairies left. To look for Aurora's true love."

"She has one, right?" Kairi asked in a small, tense voice. Rufaus nodded.

"At least we know what Maleficent is up to," Riku noted. _At least we know what the fairies are up to What about you? _"What about DarkGov? What is it planning?"

Rufaus lowered his head. "Castle Oblivion," he revealed, and proceeded to tell King Mickey, Kairi, and Riku everything he knew. Everything he knew, he remembered, came from Crypus...


	28. Chapter 26

_Everywhere were dead men and living shadows. Her beloved husband was dead, as were her poor sweet children. It was too much. Were the gods so sick? Have they truly taken everything away? Black claws tore at her face and she could taste sour blood on her lips; she didn't know whether she was sobbing or laughing. The fact that she had lost everyone and everything she loved so soon, so easily, was so tragic as to be funny. Plus those claws __**tickled**__!_

"_She's gone mad!" came a far-off voice. "Sod it, then! The shadows take her!" _

_She felt strong hands lift her up by the hair and wondered what was going on. Were they going to cut off her hair? But her hair was so long and lovely, her husband said so once. No, they weren't after her hair, thank god. Heartless lust after only one thing. _

"_Make an end of it, Heartless."_

But it wasn't the end. She woke up to a foreign afterlife instead. She thought her new life wasn't too bad, wondered around until she entered the largest, most important-looking building she saw, and inquired about a job. She worked hard, she bided her time, she backstabbed and spread rumors, she received promotions; she became Vice Mayor of Dark City Government. She _liked_ being Vice Mayor of Dark City Government; it was much better than her prior occupation - more fun, less hassle. She would hate to lose everything she earned as a Nobody on account of some harebrained scheme...

"Your scheme's just as harebrained!" muttered the duck testily.

Talia snapped out of some other woman's memories. "What was that?"

"Um … Donald here was wonderin' why you hafta use Maleficent so bad," the dog spoke for his friend. "If it's just about stopping the mayor, then…"

"It must be done," Talia explained. "Maleficent is our best alibi, don't you understand? Using her, we can sabotage the mayor's plan and make it look like bad luck. But first, we need to lure her here with her familiar." Who would be suspicious if Maleficent were to invade the Castle that Never Was? No one. She claimed it as hers, after all. What if she were to reclaim it while Roxas were there? Bad timing, but it happens. What if she were to engage Roxas, one-on-one? Expected. What if Roxas were to die in battle? Exactly as planned. But the duck and dog need not be alerted of this last option.

"If getting Maleficent away from Rose helps her somehow …" murmured the dog.

"It'll wake her up. The curse will lift the moment Maleficent exits her homeworld," she lied. The girl could be dead, for all she knew.

"And if not?" muttered the duck. He saw through her lies.

"Maleficent's absence will make it easier for loved ones to tend to the princess," she claimed. Maybe not. Most likely not. Talia cared not.

"She's right, Donald!" the dog said blithely. "With Maleficent gone, the fairies can help her!" He grew pensive. "Gee … maybe the reason why they haven't helped her so far is 'cause they're too busy fighting Maleficent!"

"If you say so, Goofy," sighed the duck.

The dog then lost his glee. "What if it doesn't work?"

"Huh?"

"What if Maleficent doesn't want her familiar back?" the dog gulped.

"She will. Don't worry, Goofy, I know these things."

Those two were dawdling too long, bantering like puppets in a sideshow; were they trying to stall for time? Enough was enough. She had other errands to run. "Must I remind you of our contract? Must I remind you that we are on a _time limit?_" Talia said. At once she opened a dark corridor, demonstrating her power and impatience.

The duck wilted at the sight, reminded of his part in making that contract. "C'mon Goofy, let's get that familiar and get help for Aurora," he sighed as he stepped through.

His friend did not step through. Instead the dog regarded her with wary eyes. "Um … if you don't mind me asking …" he wondered. He sounded curious.

"What is it?"

"If you're worried about the mayor's plan not working, why don't you take it up with 'im?" the dog mumbled. He flinched at her glare. "I was just wonderin'..."

Talia snapped, "Didn't you think I tried? Men are stubborn pigs." This was true for noble husbands, righteous sons, and asinine politicians. Her glare prodded the dog into the portal.

When he was gone, Talia allowed herself a small sigh of relief. Maybe Maleficent could kill them off.

* * *

It was a dark and quiet night when Donald and Goofy arrived at King Stefan's castle. No torches were lit, and not one person was bustling about, though there were people everywhere. In the air, enchantment lurked like a lullaby. It had lyrics:

_Sleeping Beauty fair…_

_Gold of sunshine in your hair…_

_Lips that shame the red, red rose…_

_Dreaming of true love in slumber repose…_

"Gawsh, what happened to everyone?" wondered Goofy, awed.

"Magic," observed Donald. It had put everyone to asleep.

They slept on stone floors or wooden chairs. They slept standing up, lying down, or crouched forward, hands wrapped around curled-up knees. They slept clutching banners, cups, poleaxes, or each other. Everyone slept: noblemen and peasants, splendid kings and spoony bards. The walls themselves appeared to sleep too, its torches unlit, its tapestries limp. The enchantment had seeped everywhere.

_One day, he will come…_

_Riding out of the dawn…_

_And you'll awaken to love's first kiss…_

_Till then, Sleeping Beauty, sleep on…_

"Who did this?" wondered Goofy. "Not Maleficent. The fairies?"

Donald nodded. Why on earth would Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather want to put an entire castle under such enchantment? No matter. "They gotta be 'round here somewhere, Goofy!"

Goofy cheered up. "Hey! Maybe they can help us with Talia!"

That cheered Donald up. "C'mon Goofy, let's search this castle!"

And off they went dungeon … er, castle-crawling, thankfully immune to the magic which swirled around them inaudible, but like music nonetheless.

_One day you'll awaken to love's first kiss…_

_Till then, Sleeping Beauty, sleep on._

They found them on the highest balcony overlooking the largest courtyard. So engrossed were they in enchanting the remaining the humans below, a mere _ahem_ from Donald was enough to shock their wings off (almost). "Heavens!" gasped Flora.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Merryweather.

"This is out of the blue…" regarded Fauna.

Their naïveté sent Donald into an indignant squawking fit and Goofy into a befuddled, blank-eyed gaze; so, they never even noticed the summons?

After a while Goofy asked, "Um … how come you put all 'em people there to sleep?"

"No no no!" Donald yelled. "You're supposed to ask why they ignored us!"

Flora turned pale. Fauna teared up. Merryweather looked like someone turned Donald's and Goofy's clothing into ugly shades of pink. "Well, um ... we forgot?" said Fauna.

"We were busy," mumbled Merryweather.

"You asked us why we put everyone to sleep," explained Flora. "We have a very good reason!"

Donald was curious enough to give the fairies their hearing while Goofy guessed, "Is it 'cause of Rose?"

"Good, then you know. This is all for the sake of Rose," said Flora somberly. She swept a hand around their sleeping surroundings. "As long as she sleeps, the entire castle sleeps with her."

Donald and Goofy could not fathom such logic. "Huh?"

"When the curse is broken, everyone will wake with her," reassured Flora, "as though nothing happened."

"That way, we can spare them the pain," sniffed Fauna. She wiped her left eye. "Oh, those poor dears … her poor parents … what if they don't wake up?"

_What pain? _Donald thought. Then he knew. _Wouldn't it be nice to snooze until Roxas turns back to Sora? _

"You guys must love Aurora very much," Goofy stated, "to do something like that."

"Yeah, and ignore King Mickey," Donald muttered. Fauna burst into tears.

Flora and Merryweather gathered around her, consoling her, hugging her, telling her it wasn't her fault. "No, no … it's not that. It's not that at all. I know what we did wasn't right," she blubbered. "It's just that …" She trailed off, then started again. "It's just that … you're right. We do. We love Aurora very much." She sniffled. "When she fell under the curse, we thought about how wrong it was to defy His Highness, but then we'd think of Aurora, then we couldn't think at all."

Once upon a time, he acted instead of thought too, Donald remembered. It was on a Friday. At a church whose architectural style was not much different from here. It was guilt-inducing. Suddenly he didn't feel so indignant. _Guess I was too hard on 'em. _

"It was wrong for us to ignore King Mickey, we know," Flora went on. "We accept any punishment for our wrongdoing. We mean it. Just -"

"Just let us save Rose first!" interrupted Merryweather. She flitted towards Donald, agitated. "Can't you see that? Can King Mickey – did he sent you here?"

"We were -" the duck began, but the dog interrupted. "Yeah! We were sent here to help you!" Goofy quipped. "We're gonna help you defeat Maleficent, save Briar Rose, and get her together with Prince Philip, a-hyuck!"

Merryweather wondered, "You were?"

Fauna blurted out, "How did you know about Prince Philip?"

Donald asked, "We are?"

Flora, delighted, asked, "Was that why you came to this world?" As quick as a breeze, she flew up to the two heroes and planted wet kisses on their cheeks. "Thank you! Thank you!" she cried. "King Mickey is too kind!"

Goofy beamed, while Donald grinned nervously and muttered, "Oh boy. Excuse us a bit." He dragged his friend off to one side. "Goofy, you sure about this?"

"Sure I'm sure! I'm very sure!"

"What about that woman? She might be … spying on us or something!"

"So?" The knight patted the duck's head. "There's a reason why we went through that stuff with Talia, Donald … so that we would end up here." His put up his finger in an "ah-ha!" pose. "It was fate!"

"Yeah, but …" Donald thought about poison water and poisoned syringes.

The knight wrinkled his snout. "Aw, can't we do both?"

Now there was an idea! Instead of wallowing in poison-laced hatred, why not try to make something_ good_ come out of Dark City? Why not try to get Diablo _and_ Briar Rose? Sora would have liked that - _don't think of Sora like that._

Donald nodded. "Yeah! Let's do both. We'll show that old witch! Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, you can count on us!" he told the fairies.

* * *

Here was the lowdown on the current situation, as summarized by the fairies:

Once upon a time, a princess was born. Her royal parents had a celebration held in her honor. Guests included everyone of every station throughout the kingdom, as well as the king and prince of a neighboring kingdom.

_Their royal highnesses, King Hubert and Prince Philip!_

Long have their fathers dreamed of uniting their kingdoms through their children. Thus were Princess Aurora and Prince Philip betrothed. Had times been fairer, they would have met several times as children and youths. They would have grown to love one another.

_To her his gift he brought, and looked, unknowing, on his future bride._

Unfortunately, Maleficent happened, and fate was averted. To protect Aurora, the fairies spirited her away and raised her in secret. The princess never got the chance to know her heritage or her betrothal. Unlike most young ladies, she was unhappy to discover she was a princess, promised to a prince, because she had met someone else in the woods …

_But that's impossible! How could I marry a prince, I'd have to be... _

_A princess. _

_And you are, dear! _

_Princess Aurora. Tonight, we're taking you back to your father, King Stefan. _

_But, but I can't! He's coming here tonight, I promised to meet him. _

_I'm sorry, child, but you must never see that young man again. _

_Oh, no, no! I can't believe it. No, no! _

Likewise, Prince Philip fell in love with someone he happened upon in the woods. His father was less than pleased. What of the betrothal? What of his rightful fate?

_I don't know who she was … a peasant girl, I suppose. _

_A peasant g-g-girl? You're going to marry a … why Philip, you're joking! _

Fortunately for everyone, fate tends to turn out well for Princesses of Heart. See, the "young man" and "peasant girl" turned out to be … Philip and Aurora! Everything would have turned out well and ironic were not for a spinning wheel and a curse coming true. Still, there was hope - love's first kiss will break the curse, and better yet, the fairies know his secret identity!

"So where's Prince Philip?" asked Donald.

"Philip should be at our cottage," said Flora. "We just learned of Philip from King Hubert, you know, as we enchanted him to sleep."

"Let's go, a-hyuck!" agreed Goofy.

And off they went, the fairies flying ahead and glowing like beacons.

As they traversed, Donald explained recent events – Jasper Reddison, Crypus Thorson, Rufaus Reddison, W. S. Johnson, Talia Katherine, and the latter's plans. For Fauna's sake, he occluded Sora and his metamorphosis into Roxas.

"If Lady Katherine wants Maleficent in her world," snorted Merryweather, "She's welcome to her!"

"So, we were wondering if … uh, if you can help get us here," began Donald. "Since …"

"Since Maleficent is powerful and stuff!" finished Goofy. "I mean, Sora and Donald and I barely won against her in Hallow Bastion! And she came back anyway!"

"Gladly! It's our fault she's back," Merryweather replied. "She used our memories as a component in her resurrection! The nerve! Can you imagine that?"

"Is that how she came back? 'Cause I thought it was Diablo – "

"Yeah, her crow Diablo," Donald managed to butt in. "We need to get him." But Merryweather was too incensed to listen.

"Oooh, that nasty crow!" frowned the blue fairy. "When I get my hands on him, I'll …"

"Here we are, dears!" Fauna interrupted. The party arrived at a humble-looking cottage in a woodland clearing. Donald let out a quack of relief; things were going to turn out fine. Then they went in and things went to pot again. Philip was not inside, but his hat was. It sat on the floor, amidst overturned furniture, evidence to a kidnapping.

"Oh no!" cried the fairies. "Maleficent!"

"Aw phooey!" cried Donald. "She got to him first!"

"What do we do now?" worried Goofy.

"She must have taken him to the Forbidden Mountain," noted Flora. Noting Donald's and Goofy's puzzled looks, she explained, "Her stronghold on this world."

"Aw phooey," repeated Donald. Of course it wasn't going to be so simple. He sighed. "Lead the way, ladies. We need to get Philip."

This time they didn't chat. This time they hurried as quickly as they could.

* * *

Donald blinked at the decrepit entrance. Why wasn't he surprised? They were going to have to come here eventually, to get a certain creature named Diablo. Next to him, Goofy gulped and the fairies cowered. Forbidden Mountain appeared to yawn before them, threatening to swallow them whole.

"We can't pass here, not right now," said Flora, "but we can do this." Out came her wand and lo! Out materialized a shining shield and sword. These she offered to Goofy. "Give Prince Philip this enchanted shield of virtue and this mighty sword of truth," she told him. "These weapons of righteousness will help him triumph over evil."

"Leave it to us!" assured Goofy, accepting the weapons.

It was obvious what Philip was supposed to do with the shield and sword. Donald decided to not worry about it. W_e can't let him kill Maleficent … but we can't let him be unarmed. We'll say the sword and shield are to help him fight his way out. _

"Hide, dears!" urged Flora. She and her fellow fairies became very small. Instinctively, Donald turned himself and Goofy invisible. In front of them appeared a pig-snouted minion. It wasn't very attentive, thank goodness.

_No time like now._ Taking Goofy by the hand, Donald ran past the pig into Forbidden Mountain.

* * *

Donald was sure they traversed worse (if less garishly-lit) places before. Hallow Bastion was worse. Hallow Bastion was less well-lit. Hallow had Heartless; this place had none! Then again, Hallow Bastion had Sora. "I miss Sora," he whispered.

"Me too," Goofy whispered back. "It's weird not having 'im lead us."

Exploring new places and searching for treasure chests just weren't as fun without Sora around. Sora would have not let the ugly green lighting creep him out. And Sora had always been the best fighter among them. If the two were to see Maleficent at this point, face to face …

They finally saw her, though she never saw them. They finally saw her … content for once. Lounging on her throne, she petted a huge black bird. Below, her minions rejoiced around a big bonfire. Witnessing her … well, her blissful ignorance, Donald felt a pang of pity for ol' Pete. _No wonder he got lazy and fat … fatter than usual, anyway. _

"What a pity Prince Phillip can't be here to enjoy the celebration," she cooed to her pet raven. "Come, we must go to the dungeon and cheer him up."

_Her pet raven! Diablo! There's the familiar!_ Donald could hardly believe it. So, it existed. So, it had to be captured somehow. That meant getting it away from Maleficent. Or getting close to Maleficent.

Maleficent got up and began to walk off in a certain direction. She crow flew after her. Eyes only on the familiar, Donald followed. Eyes only on the witch, Goofy followed too. The minions were too drunk on feasting and dancing to notice anything.

Down stairways and darkened halls they followed (no greenish torchlight here – thank goodness). The surroundings got bleaker and bleaker until Donald knew that they were in the dungeon. Maleficent opened a decrepit wooden door and went inside - then shut it behind her.

"Aw, nuts!" muttered Donald; Diablo was inside too. Meanwhile, Goofy leaned against the door and listened the best he could.

"Oh come now, Prince Phillip, why so melancholy? A wondrous future lies before you. You, the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true," came sibilant words.

A pause, then:

"Behold, King Stefan's castle, and in yonder topmost tower, dreaming of her true love, the princess Aurora. But see the gracious whim of fate. Why, 'tis the self same peasant maid, who won the heart of our noble prince but yesterday. She is indeed most wondrous fair. Gold of sunshine in her hair, lips that shame the red, red rose. In ageless sleep she finds repose. The years roll by, but a hundred years to a steadfast heart are 'bout a day. And now, the gates of the dungeon part, and the prince is free to go his way. Off he rides on his noble steed…"

What was Maleficent doing? Another pause, then:

"A valiant figure, straight and tall, to wake his love with love's first kiss, and prove that true love conquers all." Her last words were tinged with cruelty.

Sounds of struggling ensued. Whatever Maleficent did, it sure wasn't nice! Donald grabbed the doorknob in anger. "Why that -"

"Come, my pet. Let us leave our noble prince with these happy thoughts. A most gratifying day."

Thinking quickly, Donald recast invisibility. When the door swung back, he and Goofy went unnoticed, but that was probably due to oversight as much as magic. "For the first time in sixteen years, I shall sleep well," Maleficent cooed happily. Obliviously.

Donald motioned for his friend to follow. Now was the chance to follow that witch and nab that familiar of hers -

"Goofy, what are you doing?"

Goofy, poised at the door, fumbled with a thin wire. "Kinda hard..."

"Goofy, we have to get the bird!"

Goofy, ignoring Donald, continued to fumble with his makeshift lock-pick. "Little help here?"

"Ooooh…!" Luckily, Donald kept his temper. "Goofy, we have to remember our mission here. We have to get -"

"Prince Philip outta here quick, a-hyuck! We can't just leave 'im after all the nasty things Maleficent said to 'im!"

"Uh … yeah." The raven was getting farther away! "What about Diablo?"

"Let's get Philip first! He can help us nab Diablo!"

_Oh yeah!_ Goofy had a point. They might as well rescue the prince now (being outside his cell and all) and snatch the (now faraway) bird later. Mumbling, Donald tried to recall what he could of magic that could unlock doors.

_A Keyblade sure could come in handy right now_, he grumbled.

Some time passed. Eventually Donald remembered; eventually the door creaked open. Inside, they espied a young man in fine clothes and chains. "More woodland critters," mused the man drowsily. "I must be going mad."

"Nah," Goofy replied. "We're friends of the fairies!"

"Fairies?" The man did not understand. "Woodland sprites? Forest nymphs?" He smiled wryly. "I truly must be going mad."

"Nope!"

"But … you're clearly a hound, and your friend is a waterfowl! Yet you talk."

"Um…" Goofy marveled at his keen observation. "First time anyone brought that up."

"We're friends of Aurora," elaborated Donald. "No time to explain!" He tried to remember what he could of magic that could weaken chains.

As Donald worked on the chains, Goofy took out the shield and sword. "These are for you," he told the prince. Philip accepted the weapons heartily.

_Uh-oh again, _Donald gulped. Oh well. _We just have to keep him from Maleficent. Get him to Aurora. Let him kiss Aurora. We can sneak back and nab Diablo while he's with Aurora._

The chains gave. Prince Philip, made hale by hope, joined the party. Donald motioned for him and Goofy to follow him out. Time to skedaddle out of here, but not before first meeting –

"DIABLO!"

"_CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW!" _

What luck! "I'VE GOT 'IM!" Blizzaga!

"_CAW CAW CAW CAW!"_

What bad luck! Missed! Swift as a swallow, the crow flew away. The pig-faced minions it brought with him stayed, however. Snarling and growling, they readied their pitchforks.

"Nuts!" Donald chafed. He readied his staff. "Goofy, Prince Philip … we've got company!"


	29. Chapter 27

Prince Philip was no Sora (then again, nobody was), but he was still a darn good fighter. He exhibited fine skill as he cut down minions left and right with the fairy-blessed sword. He handled the shield as well as any trained knight, and he fought as bravely as any hero out to rescue his one true love. But by Jove, their foes sure were many! New ranks appeared even as Philip and his allies finished their predecessors off.

"Here!" cried Goofy as he offered Philip an elixir. Those pig-faced goons were everywhere! Because Maleficent was near and greatly her wrath they feared, they fought competently for once.

"Thank you," panted the prince. He sighed. "It seems she put all her minions on the night watch!"

_Duh_, thought Donald idly_, to kill them off._ _Why bother with henchman when you've got Heartless? For these creeps, you'll probably need a good health and – Ewww! Okay, maybe not dental – plan. For the latter, you just need Darkness. Heartless work for nothing!_ Thoughts of Darkness and Nothingness reminded Donald of his other mission, and gave him an opening. "Prince Philip!" he exclaimed. "You gotta remember! You have to go save the princess!" For effect, he cast Stop on some nearby goons. "Let us deal with 'em!"

The young man shook his head. "No, fair fowl. I won't abandon those who saved me from my imprisonment." _So much for that._ But the prince had a point. And Goofy and Donald needed all possible aid in this current fight.

"We need the fairies," whimpered Goofy. "Then they can teleport us outta here! Hey Donald, can you teleport?"

"My magic doesn't work that way!" stammered the mage. "We need the fairies!"

"That's what I said!"

Prince Philip chuckled. "Less bantering, more battling!"

_Maybe the fairies found some way inside Forbidden Mountain. Maybe they're on their way,_ idly thought Donald. _Ha ha. I wish._ But perhaps wishes do come true after all, however slowly. Bit by bit, the three gained ground. Bit by bit, they approached the stairs. Bit by bit, they allowed themselves some hope.

_**Slash, slash! Clang!**_

"Prince Philip!" Hurray for MP Gift!

"Thank you, brave hound." _**Flash!**_ With a bright, white flash of the prince's sword, several minions were downed at once. Cue Ability: Sword of Truth!

"I'VE GOT IT!" _**Foom!**_ Hurray for Firaga!

_**Cling, clash! Crunch!**_ _**Boom! **_The three were now halfway up the stairs. Now, it was only half as dark as before. The minions began to relent. "C'mon!" _**Whoosh!**_ Hurray for Rocket! Look at Goofy go!

"Come try me!" _**Bash!**_ With furious speed, Prince Philip charged at a particularly large goon and downed him in one blow with his shield. Cue ability: Shield of Virtue!

"Good job, Prince Philip! Here!" Goofy gave him a potion.

"Thank you once again." _** Slash! Clash! **_"Behind you, Goofy!"

_**Bonk bonk bonk bonk bonk!**_ Hurray for Tornado! "Whoa! Now I gotta thank you!"

"Less gossip, more GRAVIRA!" cried Donald as he cast that famed health-halving spell. Hah! At this rate, Philip would get to Aurora in no time!

They were almost at the top of stairs. The minions were almost at their wits' end. Some deserted at random intervals; wise individuals, them. Okay, not so wise. Some just jumped outside a window. Oh, what was this? The minions decided, one by one – wisely, they weren't mindless monsters like the Heartless – to retreat. "We'll be back!" one yelled half-heartedly. Yeah, right.

"I must thank the fairies, and the strange but brave friends they sent," said Prince Philip.

"We did it!" cheered Goofy, jumping up and down.

"Whew," muttered Donald. His feathers were wilted. Time to find a Moogle shop! Together, the three entered a large, empty stone corridor.

* * *

What was Maleficent doing all this time? Having the time of her life, though semi-consciously so.

_What joy ... it is nice to have events occur in your favor once in a while. For the longest time, I looked forward to the princess' sixteenth birthday. I did not think it would bring me even more joy than expected._

How so? Joyful event seem greater when contrasted with recent woes. And what woes! Choosing that cursed Castle That Never Was as a new base of operations - what was she thinking? What a horrid place; what a horrid world!

_I was a fool. You cannot get something from nothing, and that world was a realm of nothing._

Her poor plants failed to thrive in the eternal night. Her new décor kept sliding off the white walls, refusing to stick. Her poor minions were no match for the countless, relentless invading Dusks. And stupid Pete was a stupid, stupid choice for a second-in-command! She had to micromanage everything!

_Next time, I shall be wiser in choosing allies. No fools like Pete and Oogie-Boogie. No opportunistic deserters like Hades. Ah, Riku …_

She had her hands full. With Organization XIII fallen, its world should have been easy conquest. No such luck; its civilian counterpart, Dark City Government, stepped up to deal with the fallout. She had barely renovated the castle when it started sending its pests against her. That white-suited spy was easy to shoo away. The army of Dusks which followed him … not so much. Not even regaining control of the Heartless proved much of an equalizer. It didn't help that Nobodies, unless they wish it, do not show up on any means of detection, magical or mundane. _If something doesn't really exist, it can't really be detected, can it? Foul lurkers. Little wonder the King and his allies denied their existence. They couldn't tolerate the fact that Nobodies fouled their view on how reality worked, fouled their traditional means of detection ..._

Luckily, she remembered Aurora's upcoming sixteenth birthday … and decided on an impromptu vacation. She was fed up with Dusks! Let Pete wonder where she wandered. Still, now she had both Aurora and Philip in her thrall; now, it was time she returned to the World that Never Was. Things were as perfect as they were going to get here, unlike there. She was never one to procrastinate.

_A few more moments of rest. Perhaps a night or two without Pete. Ah, I haven't had such a break in ages - _

"Caw. Caw caw!"

"**Caw!"**

_Cursed crow!_ Might as well; she was planning to wake up anyway. "Silence!" she snapped to Diablo, her own eyes snapping awake. "You, tell those fools to …"

A shocked green face.

A stone crow statue.

A cry of pure horror: _**"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

* * *

"Hey, didja hear somethin' in the distance?" pondered Goofy.

Suddenly, things went to Hades in a handbag. Poor Donald never had a chance to look for a Moogle shop. Or check out the corridor.

_**Fwoosh! **_

_Chitter, chitter, chitter ….._

"What foul creatures are these?" exclaimed Philip. The poor prince had just finished cleaning his sword! He gaped at strange black creatures. They crawled like ants, or floated in the air like specters or grinning faces. They looked like -

"Shadows," said Donald, "and Neo-Shadows, and Invisibles, and Darkballs. Grrr ..."

"Watch out, Prince Philip!" steadied Goofy. He readied his shield. "They're Heartless!"

"Yes, they seem savage enough," replied Prince Philip. He readied his sword and shield.

"Grah!" cried a random pig-faced goon. An Invisible attacked him and ate his heart.

"What?" Donald gasped. His two companions looks at him, puzzled.

_This isn't normal_, realized the panicked wizard. _Did one of Maleficent's creatures just attack another one of Maleficent's creatures! _Heartless weren't usually so indiscriminate with their victims, else evil witches and ambitious scientists wouldn't make and use them in the first place!

No time to think! One Darkball charged and chomped, hitting the prince with its bulk. Prince Philip staggered backward, prompting Donald to cast Curaga. _Careful, your Highness! If you die by the Heartless, a fate much, much than worse than death awaits you! We know, we've seen it. _

"Come, Goofy!"

"Yes, your Highness!"

_**SMASH!**_ That annoying Darkball was smashed into dust between two shields. Cue limit: Double Smash!

"FIRAGA!" Several Neo-Shadows fell to magic. One ducked away. "Aw, phooey." He wondered if every Heartless under Maleficent's domination was summoned here.

_**CRUNCH!**_ Another Darkball fell to Prince Philip and Goofy's Double Smash.

"BLIZZAGA! Wah!" That'd teach nasty Neo-Shadows to mess with Donald Duck!

_**SLASH!**_ An Invisible met its match in sword skills in Prince Philip. Who will win?

"Donald! Here!" Hurray for Goofy! Hurray for MP Gift!

_**SLASH!**_ Philip won.

"Your Highness!" Good ol' Goofy! Hurray for MP Gift again!

"Thank you, kind canine." _FLASH! _Make way for the Sword of Truth, Shadows!

"Whew," sighed Donald. He could use a break.

"What relief! It seems the room is clearing," said the prince. So it seemed.

Suddenly, Donald remembered the Battle of 1,000 Heartless. Thoughts of that battle at the Great Maw made Donald think of Sora, and the anguish he suffered at the hands of Saïx. That anguish would have been great enough to turn Sora into Roxas. Was that what Saïx hoped to accomplish? _Sora …_

Occasionally, they heard a faint, insane scream in the distance. It must be Maleficent. Something fishy was going on in evil fairy's head, surely. It was the only explanation for this chaotic Heartless battle, and the Heartless' even more chaotic behavior.

First, no re-spawning. Remember those battles in Traverse Town? The really tough ones, in the Third District? Remember _why _they were so tough? Where were the new arrivals to replace their fallen brethren, here? Second, no Emblems. Only Pureblood Heartless attacked the party - Darkballs and Invisibles, Shadows and Neo-Shadows. This wasn't Maleficent's style. The witch loved her Wyverns and Wizards. Third, no aggressiveness. More often than not, they brought the battle to the Heartless, not the reverse. Usually, Heartless hone in on the light of Sora's Keyblade and – alright, so that had a perfectly good explanation. Best two out of three?

"I'VE GOT IT!" _**ZAP!**_

_Don't look a gift Horace in the mouth_, concluded Donald. All three points were points in their favor, for now. After the brouhaha with Roxas, Briar Rose, Crypus, and Katherine, it was nice to have one thing turn out on the side of good –

Goofy pointed. "Donald, look!"

Make that two! Look, beyond the drawbridge! The fairies have arrived! And look what they brought with them: a white stallion with a black tail and mane. No interfering troops of pig-faced goons could stop them … not when their arrows kept turning into daisies and their projects into bubbles! "Screw this," one yelled, and deserted.

"Samson!" Prince Philip happily exclaimed. That must be the stallion's name.

"What took you so long?" Donald demanded. "And what happened to Maleficent?"

"No time to explain! We hurried the best we could, dears!" explained Fauna. "Quick! Before Maleficent loses it completely!"

"Prince Phillip!" interjected Flora. She helped the three onto the prince's horse, and gave them her supply of elixirs and hi-potions. "The road to the princess may be barred by still many more dangers. But do not worry. These dangers we shall face as one."

"Yeah, you can count on us!" Goofy declared. Prince Philip nodded. Meanwhile, Donald felt like he was forgetting something. A distant creak disturbed his thoughts.

"The drawbridge!" all three fairies cried. "Quick, hurry! Hurry!"

_Drawbridge? What's this about a – AAAH! Fast!_ Donald barely managed to stay upright on Samson. Poor horse; he expected to carry one and ended up carrying three!

Some Darkballs spied the heroes, and sped towards them. Samson galloped for dear life. This way and that he went, hooves crackling sparks on the stone ground. _This is kinda fun_, thought Donald grudgingly. _It feels almost like a mini-game. But are the falling rocks part of this?_

He could imagine the gameplay now: press Triangle to kick with hind legs; Circle to rear up (and down, dealing hurt with front legs!); X to jump (Whee!); and Square to magic flying boulders away. Those blasted rocks must be Maleficent's doing.

Meanwhile, Goofy simply yelled, "Wheeeeeee!" as Samson cleared the drawbridge. The knight and the prince used their shields against whatever boulders Donald failed to fling away with magic.

Clearing the exterior of the stronghold of Heartless was a cinch while on Samson. In fact, the area seemed free of Heartless already. Minions, too. Which meant –

"You!"

"Here we go," muttered Donald. One battle left. But a boss battle without Sora? Could they win it? Against Maleficent?

"I see 'er!" Goofy pointed. Prince Philip nodded.

"You killed him! My precious pet! He was all I had! He was all I loved!"

Sure enough, in the distance, outside King Stefan's castle, stood the mad fairy. How the heck did she get here? Teleportation? Oh, whatever. _Something_ had happened to Maleficent. Her face was ghastly … ghastlier than usual, anyway. And her eyes scalded with rage. Something knocked against the back of Donald's mind. He ought to know what would cause such madness; he just didn't know what. No matter. Mad or sane, the witch was going down!

Thanks to Samson, the distance was getting short. But Maleficent had a spell ready:

"_A forest of thorn shall be his tomb.  
Born through the skies on a fog of doom.  
Now go with the curse and serve me well,  
Round Stefan's castle cast by spell!"_

Instantly, a storm was summoned - a strange one which rained seeds of rapidly-sprouting vines. Samson had to stop, lest he ram into sharp, possibly poisonous thorns. The prince dismounted and unsheathed his sword to deal with the rampant plant life. Donald followed his example. Nothing a few Firagas couldn't cure!

_**Information: destroy the vines! **_

Cut, cut, whack, "FIRAGA!"

It didn't help that for every vine cut down, multiple new shoots seemed to sprout. Donald missed Sora's scan ability. How much progress were they making?

"Let us help, dears!" Lo, here came Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather! Tough, fibrous rose thorns became soft, papery daisy stems. Thank Kingdom Hearts for them! In no time, the heroes were past the vines. And right in front of Maleficent.

"No, it cannot be!" she fumed. "Wretched old women! Fool minions of the mouse king! You ruined my day. You shall not ruin my – hmm …" She suddenly smiled, having noted their number, having noticed the lack of a certain Keyblade wielder among their party. "Never mind … in return, I shall end yours!" Her laughter boomed forth, like giddy thunder.

"No. It will be you whose life ends today, foul spirit!" proclaimed Prince Philip.

"You won't get away with hurting Rose!" agreed Flora. She and her fellow godmothers puffed up their chests and drew up their wands.

"Very well." Maleficent's robes billowed up in a blaze of green fire. Now shall you deal with me, old prince, and all the powers of Hell!" Her laughter boomed forth, like thunder. Her figure erupted in eerie green fire.

_Uh-oh._ Donald recalled the last time she did that ….

_This is it! This power! Darkness... The true darkness!_

The transformation was more frightening this time around; perhaps because time time, Maleficent wasn't confined indoors. This time, she could utilize clouds and wind to great effect. At least Maleficent's new form was identical from last time. Same giant size, same snake-like head, same glowing yellow mouth, same baleful green fire -

_Green fire? Whoa!_ Luckily, quick thinking on Prince Philip's part saved everyone from instant immolation. The brave prince ran forward, swung his sword, and gave the dragon a deep cut on the snout. Following his example, Goofy charged forward.

Flora waved her wand in the direction of Prince Philip:

_Now sword of truth, be sharp and sure,  
Make evil die and good endure!_

Fauna waved her wand towards Goofy:

_Gallant knight, so kind and strong,_

_May your shield protect from wrong!_

"Me too?" Donald asked.

Merryweather folded her arms. "Don't be greedy, dear."

"Awww."

"All right," Merryweather relented. She waved her wand:

_Magic staff, let loose your power!_

_Save us all in this dark hour!_

"Yes!" Donald cheered as his enhanced Blizzaga assaulted Maleficent with hail and sheet. Sora or no Sora, forgetfulness or no forgetfulness, the good guys might win this fight yet!

"ROAR!" The dragon let loose a line of fire. _**FOOOOOM!**_

"Yikes! It's hot!" Goofy cried, but he wasn't burned, thanks to the shield of virtue. Good thing Prince Philip threw it up just in time!

"Here! Wind!" Donald replied. Casting Aeroga on everyone ought to do the trick!

Thunder boomed and dominated the background like cacophonous music. Shields were readied, a sword was flourished, and wizardly and fairy magic surged about as though alive. Several times, the dragon lowered her horrible head and attempted to eat a party member; each time, the prince gave her a bloody gash across her jaw. Several times, she lifted her head to let loose a barrage of green fire; each time, the prince deflected the flames with the Shield of Virtue. Yes, now in then they had to give ground avoid being trampled by Maleficent's advancing bulk

The dragon turned her attention to Goofy, and got a black eye from his shield for her trouble. Momentarily stunned, she failed to …. _**WHAM!**_ Another Double Smash! Oh, when will Maleficent learn?

"Here, dears!" The fairies were doing their part too. Here and their they flitted, occasionally casting Curaga on Prince Philip, Donald, or Goofy, like Tinkerbell used to do on Sora. This freed Donald to cast offensive spells like -

"FIRAGA!" _**FOOM!**_ "Heh heh heh heh!"

- letting Maleficent know what it was like to be on the other end of a line of magical fire! Ha ha! He sure showed the witch what for!

"Thank you, fair fowl!"

"Good job, Donald! Here!"

"You welcome, Goofy – thanks!" Hurray for MP Gift!

Growling madly, the dragon swung down her terrible head to chomp on Goofy. Oh no! The poor knight failed to duck away in time. CRUNCH!

"Goofy!"

Goofy fell to the ground. He bounced back up. "I'm okay, Your Highness!"

"I'VE GOT IT!" _**FOOM!**_ He won't let a nasty old dragon mess with his buddy!

The battle seemed to be progressing well, despite setbacks and rampant dragon-fire. In the background, Prince Philip unleashed another Sword of Truth while Flora healed Goofy with her magic ("Thanks, pal!"). By his side, Merryweather renewed the enhancement on his staff whenever it ran out. Maleficent seemed to be weakening; perhaps they have a chance after all.

"You go help Goofy and His Highness," the wizard urged the fairy. "I'm OK!"

"Hey, what's that cliff doing behind us?" Goofy wondered out of the blue.

"Huh?" Donald turned around. "WHAT?"

So, the battle wasn't progressing so well after all. Maleficent was spiteful and vile, but she was cunning and patient as well. So, she was holding back all this time, lulling her foes into a false sense of security, luring them into retreating towards a wall of rock. There was nowhere else to go. It seemed the evil fairy-turned-dragon had them right where she wanted …

_Aw, phooey._

… before spewing forth a veritable giant glob of fire! _**FOOOOOOOM!**_

"Hop! Come this way!"

"Goofy! No!"

_Thud._ "Sorry fellas ..."

"Hack, hack!" Donald coughed and choked from the accompanying fumes. He couldn't see, he couldn't breathe, he sure as heck wished he couldn't smell …

* * *

When Donald came to, he saw stone walls, unlit torches, and gentle sunlight streaming through a window. He saw dozen of curious faces. "Look everyone," murmured one such face. "He awakes!"

"Wha … what time is it?" Donald groused. Where was Goofy?

"My word … he speaks! Like a human!" The face widened his mouth in surprise, exhibiting crooked yellow teeth and a red tongue pockmarked with pink spots. Ewwww!

A grouchy, sleepy wizard was not the most polite creature in the world, especially one assaulted with such a disgusting sight. Why, it was enough to send Donald jumping up and down on his bed in sheer annoyance (at least that made the faces retreat). "What's the matter? Never saw a duck before?" he snapped.

No, judging from the strange looks of the strangers. "He … he has hands instead of wings!" nervously observed one.

"But he only has four fingers … was he maimed? Poor bird."

"Does he fly?"

"He's wearing clothing, just like a human!"

"But no pants."

"Fair fowl, how do you talk with a beak? You need a mouth and teeth to form words …"

"Is he a demon? He's no ordinary duck …"

"A fairy creation?" A talking beast?"

Geez, what was the matter with these folks? And he thought Prince Philip was weird! Anyway, enough was enough! Donald assumed he trademark fighting stance: one fist out, one fist swinging 'round and 'round. "Get outta here! Go on, get!" he quacked.

No sensible human dared risked the wrath of a sentient, clothed, child-sized demon-duck with hands instead of wings, so out the humans went. Now Donald got out of bed and explored his surroundings. He was indoors, on a bed, in a room (with a treasure chest and a save point in the far corner, whoo-hoo). It was a stuffy room, as the people of King Stephen's kingdom had not yet invented indoor air circulation.

"Whadda bunch of maroons …" he mumbled as he plopped back into bed. Was everyone in this kingdom so kooky? This never happened in prior adventures! Agrabah, Deep Jungle, Beast's Castle, Twilight Town … back then, he never encountered such reactions to his appearance.

Then again, back then, Sora was around …

"Hiya, Donald!" said a familiar voice. "G'morning!"

"Goofy!" The duck turn around and hugged his friend. "You're alright!" Thank Kingdom Hearts! He had so many questions …

But Goofy had a question of his own: "Say, Donald?"

"Yeah?"

The canine knight pulled at and peered at one of his ears. "Do I really not look like a dog? 'Cause I always thought it was kinda clear …"

"Who cares?" _Let me guess, people saw Goofy and went, "Huh? Dogs can talk!" _

"Everyone except the fairies seems to. Y'know …" Goofy scratched his snout. "This sorta thing never happened when Sora was around. You think it was 'cause of the Keyblade?"

So, his friend thought the same thing too. Perhaps that was one of the Keyblade's lesser-known powers: to make natives overlook extraterrestrial matters, to better let the Keyblade Master do his duty in peace. Keyblade Masters do tend to travel from world to world on a regular basis, after all.

"What happened?"

That brightened Goofy up. "Prince Philip defeated Maleficent, kissed Briar Rose, and woke everyone up, a-hyuck!" The knight closed his eyes in dreamy reverie. "Gosh, it was romantic!"

Something nagged at Donald's sluggish mind. "Huh?"

"Now those two are getting ready to meet Rose's folks!"

That something bloomed into an urgent thought. Philip defeated Maleficent? That meant … "Wait! Maleficent's …?"

"Dead as a doornail! She won't bother Briar Rose or the fairies again, that's fer sure!"

"What? WAWAAAH!" Quacking with horror, Donald jumped out of bed and jumped repeatedly to rid the blankets wrapping him. How could he have forgotten? Of course … last night, the excitement of the battles crowded out everything else from his mind. Now, he was paying for his scattered brain. If Maleficent was dead, how was Talia going to execute her plan? Not that Donald cared, but the vile widow would take out her wrath on him and Goofy! All the infinite horrors of the infinite Abyss had no fury on a female Nobody scorned! But wait … "What about Diablo?"

"You mean the crow?" pondered his friend. Then: "Good thinking, Donald. We can't have Maleficent returning again! Let's ask the fairies."

_Stupid Goofy, has he forgotten everything about Talia's contract? On purpose? _

* * *

All Donald had to do was follow the music. In no time at all, he arrived in the throne room.

_I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream…_

_I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam…_

It seemed that the throne room had been converted into an impromptu ballroom. What a change from before! The atmosphere was now cheery. The people were now awake and animated. From someplace unseen, a quartet played a waltz. However, except for two, no one was dancing. Donald could guess who those two were.

_Yet I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem..._

Princess Aurora and Prince Philip twirled 'round and 'round with nary a care in the world, their eyes only on each other. _A least Briar Rose and Philip have a happy ending_, the magician mused. He sighed, and occasionally imagined the blonde princess and brunet prince as a redheaded girl and spiky-haired hero. _Don't worry Kairi, you'll have your happy ending too. I swear we'll return Sora to you._

Donald decided to enjoy the music a bit and watched the couple waltz. He started to sway with the music, tapping his foot and wiggling his tail feathers.

_But if I know you, I know what you'll do,_

_You'll love me at once, the way you did once, upon a dream…_

Suddenly, a wisp of magic flew in and changed the color of the princess's gown! _Pink! _

"Huh?" squawked the magician.

No one else seemed to notice or care, but Donald sure did. Then Aurora's dress changed back!_ Blue!_ What the heck? _Pink!_ Where is that magic from? _Blue!_ Donald followed his wizardly senses and - _Up there! The balcony! _There were the fairies!

Donald turned around and sped out of the throne room. Up on the balcony …

Flora turned from her rivalry with Merryweather to attend to Fauna. "Why, Fauna, what's the matter dear?" she asked her friend.

Fauna dabbed her cheek with a handkerchief. "Oh, I just love happy endings."

"Me too, but what about Diablo?"

"Huh?" Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather turned around as one to witness an agitated Donald enter the balcony. Why was the magician so worried? He and Goofy helped Philip defeat Maleficent. Wasn't that what they came here for?

"What about that ratty old bird?" Merryweather asked.

_Right … gotta frame this in form of something innocent. Um … oh, I know._ "Remember last time Maleficent died? Diablo brought her right back! We can't have the nasty old witch messing things up again!"

Merryweather beamed. "Don't worry! I make sure to take care of that crow beforehand."

"Wuh?"

"I turned him into stone!" Merryweather flexed her wand. "I did it while Maleficent wasn't looking, of course."

"Oh." _Oh, no. _That explained a lot about last night: Maleficent's insanity, Donald's déjà vu, everything. Then again, it was fixable. Petrifaction was a reversible status aliment, provided that nothing seriously damaging happens to the afflicted person before he or she is cured. "You didn't smash him to bits afterward, did you?" Donald asked.

Merryweather grew worried. "Oh no … I don't think I did. What if someone restores him?"

"I doubt it," Flora assured her. But her tone was doubtful. Fauna and Merryweather exchanged worried glances. Way to ruin their good mood, Donald Duck!

Donald found his opening. "How about I go and check, ladies?" he suggested. "We gotta make sure no one brings him back, so that he can't bring Maleficent back."

As one, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather flew to him and gave him affectionate kisses customary of kindly grandmothers and fair godmothers. "Thank you, Donald dear! You're the best!" Donald did not have the heart to admit his real intention was to do the exact opposite of what they expected.

* * *

Unfortunately for Donald Duck, or perhaps fortunately, that decision was already made for him by circumstance. Perhaps it was a fleeing goon. Perhaps it was Merryweather. Perhaps it was falling rock of rumbling earthquake. Whatever it was, it smashed Diablo to bits. No amount of patience or superglue could restore the little granite bits of what used to be the petrified form of a crow.

"Aw, phooey," cursed the magician.

Yet a part of him was glad to know that the decision was out of his hands. Sure, he and Goofy were going to suffer at the hands of Talia, but at least now the people of this world – as well as the rest of the universe – were now forever safe from Maleficent's machinations. Donald took stock in that.

"Now what do we do?" Donald asked the air. He once asked Sora the same question, he knew.

"We go back to Dark City, of course!" chirped a goofy voice behind him. "We accomplished our mission, after all!"

"Huh?" Donald turned around and regarded his friend with confused eyes. _What the heck is Goofy thinking? _"No, we didn't. We were supposed to return Diablo alive." He pointed at the statue. "Look!"

At this sight, the knight put his hands on his hips and pouted, "Gosh, Donald! Don't you care about Briar Rose and Prince Philip? From what I heard, Maleficent's been bothering the poor folks here ever since before she started mucking around with Heartless!"

"Wow, really?"

Goofy changed his pout to a smile. "Besides … didn't you really read our contract?"

"What contract?" In response, Goofy produced a pink sheet of paper from one of his pockets. Uninterested, Donald waved it away. "Aw, who reads the fine print, anyway?"

"Well you should, 'cuz there's some really important stuff!" Goofy browsed the paper, searching for the crucial lines. Here it was! "You see … it says here t'we need only to retrieve Diablo and return it to Lady Katherine. Then we're free to go! It says nothing about _how _we return the bird."

Donald nearly jumped three feet. "_**Really?**_ Lemme see!" He grabbed the paper from his friend and read the fine print, line by line. Then he began to snicker, which gradually grew into full-blown, almost sinister laughter. One could almost imagine cartoonish red horns growing on Donald's head. Sure enough, the contract states nothing about the condition of the to-be returned item. How about petrified and shattered? "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! That wicked old widow has nothing on us! Nothing!" Sure, Talia verbally instructed not to kill the crow, only capture and retrieve it, but technically Diablo wasn't killed. Besides, if he knew his legalistic, overly verbalistic societies, Talia's words could not take precedence over her contract. _ Take that, Lady Katherine! In your hurry to get rid of us, you really did get rid of us!_

"Gosh Donald, are you okay?" Goofy asked, scratching his head. Did the contract contain a hidden joke? 'Cause he sure didn't catch it.

"I'm okay, Goofy!" Donald jumped up and started twirling Goofy around, like Sora once did in Twilight Town. "I know everything's gonna be all right!" _Like you did, all along._ _No wonder you were so okay last night. You knew we didn't have to screw Briar Rose's folks over to save ourselves! Good ol' Goofy! Ever the gallant knight!_

Still … just to be one the safe side, perhaps they ought to recruit some helpful allies. "C'mon Goofy, let's find the fairies!" suggested Donald when he was done dancing in a circle. "Now that Briar Rose is safe, they can aid Disney Castle again!"

"Good idea, Donald!" Together, the wizard and knight began to put the remains of Diablo inside a bag. They must not go back to Dark City empty-handed, after all! Heh heh …


End file.
